Explore the Past & Present of Historic Downtown Los Angeles on This Saturday - June 29nd and Saturday July 6th and 12th

The Last Bookstore (and a  2nd floor with 100,000 books at ONE DOLLAR each!)  Presents  10:30 Summer START TIME FOR 2 hour walking tours of the The Secret Lives of Historic Downtown Los Angeles - Just Endorsed By - LOS ANGELES MAGAZINE!

I am continuing the  HISTORIC DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES 101  2 hour walking tour this Saturday June 29th at 10:30 AM  and the following Saturdays, July 6th and July 13th also with the NEW start time of 10:30 AM and an ending time of 12:30 PM; one-half earlier in both cases.   And there will also be tours on other upcoming weekends.  And all tours start at THE LAST BOOKSTORE in the Spring Arts Tower at 5th and Spring and they are still only $15 per person.

And  besides our regular scheduled tours, we will be offering customized tours on different days and different times and from one to three hours including weekdays - depending on your schedule.  With a minimum of four reservations, we will design a tour of any part of Downtown focusing on any subject matter you choose.  These tours can be after work, during lunch breaks - or??

FOR MORE INFORMATION  - contact Brady Westwater at 213-804-8396 - or bradywestwater@gmail.com

BRADBURY BUILDING

All tours begin at THE LAST BOOKSTORE at 453 S. Spring Street in the Spring Arts Tower and will be led by long time Downtown resident Brady Westwater who, besides being involved with the Downtown LA Neighborhood Council, the Historic Downtown BID, Gallery Row, Art Walk, and the BOXeight and the CONCEPT Fashion Weeks, has brought over 150 businesses, artists and non-profit institutions to Downtown.  All tours are only $15 per person.  

Wyatt Earp

If you are a participant in 'Historic Downtown Los Angeles 101' Tour, you will see the first motion picture theater built,  the place where Babe Ruth signed his contract with the Yankees, the hotel where Charlie Chaplin lived when he made his early films (and the place where he made his Los Angeles vaudeville debut in 1910) - plus the homes and haunts of everyone from actor Nicholas Cage, the Black Dahlia, Rudolph Valentino, LA’s version of Jack the Ripper, President Teddy Roosevelt, the Night Stalker, western outlaw Emmet Dalton,  actor Ryan Gosling and more.  And you will also visit where O. J. Simpson bought his knife.

You’ll explore an intersection where all four buildings were often visited by gunfighter/sheriff Wyatt Earp since they were all built or occupied by friends of his from Tombstone during the shoot-out at the OK Corral.  At this intersection you will also discover what John Wayne, a prime minister of Italy, Houdini, Winston Churchill, boxer Jack Dempsey, Greta Garbo, President Woodrow Wilson and multiple Mexican boxing champions all had in common here.

You will also see where the first new lofts were opened, the places where Gallery Row and the Art Walk began and where Fashion Week returned to Downtown.  You will see many of the new boutiques, designer showrooms and stores that have recently opened in the area along with getting a sneak preview of what will soon be happening in the area.

Tickets for either tour are only $15 per person - free for children under 8 - and reservations can be made by calling Brady Westwater at 213-804-8396 or emailing bradywestwater@gmail.com.  All credit card orders will be processed  at Last Bookstore and cash payments may be made at the start of the tour.   All proceeds will go towards the revitalization and the study of the history of the neighborhood.  

Lastly, future tours will feature specialized areas of interest such as architecture, art of all kinds, shopping and food, single streets, sports (from steer wrestling to luchador wrestlers to a Sumo wrestler), transportation, specific periods of history, the hidden Wild West history of Los Angeles, movie locations, Downtown after hours and many other aspects of the neighborhood. And custom designed can be developed by request  for groups of four or more.

We will also be soon starting weekday and evening tours on what it's like to live in Downtown Los Angeles. You will be introduced to the many of stores, restaurants, bars, and entertainment venues (and often their owners, too) - along with being given previews of one of a kind special events - so you can get a feel for what it is like to live in Downtown Los Angeles.

We expect this tour to be popular with not only people considering moving to Downtown and people who work in Downtown and who would like to know what to do after hours in Downtown - but also to recent and even long established Downtown residents who want to know more about their neighborhood.

Yellow Jacket Wasps Secret Plan to Take Over the US! Are they the Real Terrorist Threat?

While US government agencies have long searched for terrorist cells run by humans, they have somehow missed not only the biggest threat to this country , but the biggest threat to all human existence.  For nearly a decade - hidden away in backwoods locations throughout the South....

.... yellow jacket wasps have secretly experimented with building - and finally perfecting -  massive hives  far larger than any man had ever seen.  Hives once the size of basketballs are now the size of Volkswagens.

Even more suspiciously, almost all of these hives have been found only after all of the wasps  mysteriously  abandoned their new super nests - such as the one pictured above that fills an entire 1955 Chevy.  The obvious conclusion is they are building these super nests - and then temporarily leaving them to build  more super nests  -  until they have built an entire a nationwide - and international - network of 'sleeper nests' they can  return to and re-populate overnight by installing hundreds of queens in each hive.

That explains why these nests - once found only in Alabama, and then in Mississippi - are now being discovered throughout the South -  including Florida - where the first video of a new super colony still being built - was just released - only hours ago.

And it can be no coincidence they built this hive in a private hunting preserve used by the area's richest and most powerful men since these men would have the resources to try and resist their impending attack.

Unfortunately, while the exterminator emptied this hive of its yellow jackets - the super hive still stands.  And it silently awaits its new set of queens.   And the millions of yellow jackets they will produce just before the entire network of super nests  releases billions of warrior yellow jackets worldwide in order to destroy all of mankind - forever.

Los Angeles Magazine Declares Walking Tours of Historic Downtown LA Weird and Wonderful Weekend Fun!

First, if you are not subscribing to 'Ask Chris" from Los Angeles Magazine - you're missing half  the cool and fun stuff  in LA.  Starting with this weekend's walking tour of Historic Downtown Los Angeles (see below).  But even before you read about that - be sure and check out Chris Nichols' blog  and sign-up to receive updates - here.

Ten Weird And Wonderful L.A. Things To Do This Weekend
Posted on 6/21/2013 3:29:00 PM
Saturday, June 22
The Secret Lives Of Historic Downtown Los AngelesBrady Westwater calls himself the “L.A. Cowboy” and loves nothing more than showing off his downtown neighborhood to the uninitiated. His two-hour walking tours begin at The Last Bookstore, an over-the-top emporium housed in a century-old bank on Spring Street. A visit to the bookshop alone is worth the price of admission.

For the other nine  items go to the LA Magazine website. 

Accidental Death Verdict Reached in Cecil Hotel Rooftop Death (updated)

It's hard to say there can be any 'good news' regarding the death of a 21 year old girl, but - just possibly - knowing that their daughter was not terrorized by a murderer during the last moments of her life might provide some small amount of solace.  But the news there was no murder is definitely good news for all of us in Downtown LA since this means there is no murderer who 'got away with this' walking among us and it is also good news for the owners of the Cecil since - tragic as this event is - it allows them to take another small step away from its past history of violent crime.

And, after a certain period of time has passed,  as is common with many other places once far more infamous for death and tragedy, places as different as the Tower of London to the sites where Jack the Ripper's victims met their violent ends - to the home of Lizzy Borden and the location of the St. Valentine's Massacre, eventually become highly sought out tourist attractions advertised in the worst possible taste on endless T-shirts, drinking mugs and bumper stickers.

So it might be said that the 'accidental' nature of this tragedy might - ironically -  now shorten the time before some future store owner by the hotel starts selling a line of T-shirts with catchy sayings such as "I'm  Dying To Stay At The Cecil' or "The Night Stalker Gives the Cecil a 5 AX" Rating."

Fortunately, I will not be living long enough to see that.

Here are a few more details from the post at blogdowntown.

Cecil Hotel rooftop death ruled accidental drowning

By HAYLEY FOX
Published: Thursday, June 20, 2013, at 01:49PM

Eric Richardson / blogdowntown

The Cecil Hotel, where Elisa Lam's body was discovered in a water tank on the roof.

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles County Coroner announced on Thursday that Canadian tourist Elisa Lam, whose body was found on the roof of a Downtown hotel, died in an accidental drowning.

Lam's body was discovered in February in a water tank on top of the Cecil Hotel. According to the coroner, Lam suffered from "bipolar disorder" as well as a variety of other "significant conditions."

The rest of the above story is at blogdowntown. and more details can be found here. and at NBC

Journalist Michael Hastings Dies While Speeding So Fast His Car's Engine Was Thrown Over 150 Feet Past The Crash

When BuzzFeed writer Michael Hastings hit a palm tree while speeding down a residential street in Los Angeles, he was traveling so fast not only did the car explode when he lost control and hit the tree, but the entire engine was ejected from the car and landed over 150 feet away from the crash.  I can't even imagine what would possess anyone to so recklessly endanger other people's lives by going so fast down a residential street.

But given the current culture of Washington DC, apparently it's not just the out of control politicians who believe laws should only apply to other people - but never to them.

Explore the Past & Present of Historic Downtown Los Angeles on This Saturday's - June 22nd - 2-Hour Walking Tour!

The Last Bookstore (and a  2nd floor with 100,000 books at ONE DOLLAR each!)  Presents  10:30 Summer START TIME FOR 2 hour walking tours of the The Secret Lives of Historic Downtown Los Angeles - Just Endorsed By - LOS ANGELES MAGAZINE!

I am continuing the  HISTORIC DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES 101  2 hour walking tour this Saturday June 29th at 10:30 AM (and please reserve for this Saturday as we have limited slots open) and the following Saturdays, July 6th & July 13th also with the NEW start time of 10:30 AM and an ending time of 12:30 PM; one-half earlier in both cases.   And there will also be tours on other upcoming weekends.  And all tours start at THE LAST BOOKSTORE in the Spring Arts Tower at 5th and Spring and they are still only $15 per person.

And  besides our regular scheduled tours, we will be offering customized tours on different days and different times and from one to three hours including weekdays - depending on your schedule.  With a minimum of four reservations, we will design a tour of any part of Downtown focusing on any subject matter you choose.  These tours can be after work, during lunch breaks - or??

FOR MORE INFORMATION  - contact Brady Westwater at 213-804-8396 - or bradywestwater@gmail.com

BRADBURY BUILDING

All tours begin at THE LAST BOOKSTORE at 453 S. Spring Street in the Spring Arts Tower and will be led by long time Downtown resident Brady Westwater who, besides being involved with the Downtown LA Neighborhood Council, the Historic Downtown BID, Gallery Row, Art Walk, and the BOXeight and the CONCEPT Fashion Weeks, has brought over 150 businesses, artists and non-profit institutions to Downtown.  All tours are only $15 per person.  

Wyatt Earp

If you are a participant in 'Historic Downtown Los Angeles 101' Tour, you will see the first motion picture theater built,  the place where Babe Ruth signed his contract with the Yankees, the hotel where Charlie Chaplin lived when he made his early films (and the place where he made his Los Angeles vaudeville debut in 1910) - plus the homes and haunts of everyone from actor Nicholas Cage, the Black Dahlia, Rudolph Valentino, LA’s version of Jack the Ripper, President Teddy Roosevelt, the Night Stalker, western outlaw Emmet Dalton,  actor Ryan Gosling and more.  And you will also visit where O. J. Simpson bought his knife.

You’ll explore an intersection where all four buildings were often visited by gunfighter/sheriff Wyatt Earp since they were all built or occupied by friends of his from Tombstone during the shoot-out at the OK Corral.  At this intersection you will also discover what John Wayne, a prime minister of Italy, Houdini, Winston Churchill, boxer Jack Dempsey, Greta Garbo, President Woodrow Wilson and multiple Mexican boxing champions all had in common here.

You will also see where the first new lofts were opened, the places where Gallery Row and the Art Walk began and where Fashion Week returned to Downtown.  You will see many of the new boutiques, designer showrooms and stores that have recently opened in the area along with getting a sneak preview of what will soon be happening in the area.

Tickets for either tour are only $15 per person - free for children under 8 - and reservations can be made by calling Brady Westwater at 213-804-8396 or emailing bradywestwater@gmail.com.  All credit card orders will be processed  at Last Bookstore and cash payments may be made at the start of the tour.   All proceeds will go towards the revitalization and the study of the history of the neighborhood.  

Lastly, future tours will feature specialized areas of interest such as architecture, art of all kinds, shopping and food, single streets, sports (from steer wrestling to luchador wrestlers to a Sumo wrestler), transportation, specific periods of history, the hidden Wild West history of Los Angeles, movie locations, Downtown after hours and many other aspects of the neighborhood. And custom designed can be developed by request  for groups of four or more.

We will also be soon starting weekday and evening tours on what it's like to live in Downtown Los Angeles. You will be introduced to the many of stores, restaurants, bars, and entertainment venues (and often their owners, too) - along with being given previews of one of a kind special events - so you can get a feel for what it is like to live in Downtown Los Angeles.

We expect this tour to be popular with not only people considering moving to Downtown and people who work in Downtown and who would like to know what to do after hours in Downtown - but also to recent and even long established Downtown residents who want to know more about their neighborhood.

A Park of Sorts Opens on Spring Street

Just before the turn of this century, many of  us who first moved Historic Downtown Los Angeles - even before the first new lofts opened -  had given up our own gardens and lawns to help revitalize the heart of our city.  That was one of the reasons why we wanted to create public green spaces that would bring a bit of  nature back to Main and Spring Streets just as the lush gardens that surrounding the early Victorian homes were designed to attract birds and butterflies and dragon flies.

So in 2004 at the first meeting of the Public Works  Committee of the Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council (DLANC) we passed the first resolution asking what was the status of the Quimby fees - fees paid by developers of subdivisions and condo projects to purchase parkland - since no park land had ever been purchased anywhere in Los Angeles - much less in Downtown.

That started the long process that eventually ended up with the opening of the Spring Street Park this morning at 10 AM.

But even though some of us had pointedly asked for more grass than concrete and for one part of the park to have an example of the type of garden that once made Los Angeles famous - along with plants and a water feature that would lure birds and butterflies and dragon flies and water striders - and some pieces of the old granite and sandstone walls that still can be found in the area and a few transplanted older trees and shrubs which are being daily bulldozed in the Downtown LA area - we instead received a very contemporary - though very elegantly designed -  park with many small formally designed garden beds each separated from the other along with  large areas of attractively designed concrete paving, a small playground and a single grass mound surrounded by a concrete walkway.

It's all very attractive and beautifully designed but there is not one part of it that resembles either nature or the wonderful Victorian gardens that once filled that site.  Nor are there there any of the old trees or shrubs or sandstone or granite walls or old brick and cobblestone pathways that could have so easily been incorporated into the park.

So even while it is is a wonderful park that will be well used by the neighborhood, those who first started the fight to being nature back to our neighborhood (none of whom were invited to the opening) still need to continue our quest to create a spot in our neighborhood where we can go and lie down on the grass and for just a moment feel as if we are at one with nature again, surrounded by birds and butterflies and dragon flies, and a few reminders of those who came before us.

No Walking Tours of Historic Downtown LA This Weekend June 15th & 16. Will Resume Saturday June 22nd.

No Walking Tours of Historic Downtown LA  This Weekend June 15th & 16.  Will Resume Saturday June 22nd.

Is the Peter Zumthor Redesign of LACMA the Architectural Equivalent of "Beyond Earth'?

So much appears to have gone horribly wrong in the preliminary design of Peter Zumthor’s rebuild of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, it is almost impossible to know where to start; but before or after you read this post, you can see the designs in the LA Times on-line review by Christopher Hawthorne.  And here are just a few first thoughts.

The proposed new mega-structure would be an immense dark grey concrete mass (reminiscent of 1960's New Brutalism style) - built on stilts rising over 30 feet above the ground; a stylistic choice once partially embraced by the much unloved ‘waffle building’ at UCLA also built in the 1960’s.

This costly engineering decision to elevate the entire new campus three stories into the air would then plunge much  of the buildings huge, sprawling footprint (sprawling since it will be a  single story building replacing multiple multistory buildings) into an often sunless darkness.

The affect of this structure on Wilshire Boulevard will be equally chilling.  Rather than embracing and opening up to the street, the new building will equally ignore street and sidewalk, and instead hover over thirty feet above them (becoming all but invisible to passing cars) - much like the long decried elevated concrete pedways of Bunker Hill built in the 1970's, but planned for in the 1960's.

The building’s complete removal from the public realm is particularly surprising since the current campus’ perceived lack of engagement with the sidewalk is one of the reasons why some critics – including director Michael Govan - have called for its removal

But rather than settle for the current mere ‘disengagement;’ Zumthor has instead proposed to build a physically aloof and alien presence that will look magisterially, if not, disdainfully, down upon the rest of the city. 

Equally as bizarre, despite the fact the biggest criticism of the Anderson Building has been that it hid the once highly visible public access to the museum; the new building will replace that long hidden easily readable communal entry and orientation space with 7 separate 30 foot-plus tall staircases, each one encased within one of the massive concrete supports.

Then in a stunning Orwellian example of new speak, the decision to refuse to provide an understandable and easily accessible public entrance is proudly proclaimed to be a courageous strike for openness and tolerance.

Somewhat more tellingly, these seven staircases are also described as a way for the architect to "control the way visitors first come into physical contact with his architecture."

The next big surprise is that the project’s grand architectural gesture – the massive and meandering amoeba-like exterior of the building – turns out to have... absolutely nothing... to do with any of the interior uses of the building.

All that architectural strum und and drang exists to encase a grand total of 7 traditionally shaped, rectangular art galleries to house the permanent collection – and hallways that will connect those seven traditionally formed galleries with each other.  Everything else about the exterior is simply the decorative ‘box’ those boxes will come in.

And those seven galleries are a lot fewer than the number of existing permanent galleries they will be replacing.  It almost seems as if there might not even enough permanent galleries for each of the major collections to have its own separate gallery.

But that is still a lot better than what appears to be proposed for the temporary shows.  It seems they will be installed in the hallways that will connect the main galleries.... with glass walls on one side and the art work installed on the other side of the walkway.

In too many ways, the building’s ability to function within the urban infrastructure and its ability to properly display art appears to have by the end of the process, despite all the great and idealistic intentions of everyone involved, become an after-thought to the theoretical and architectural conceits.

But there is some good news about this plan.  It all but guarantees a reprieve for the existing campus.  It creates a second opportunity to rethink the long outdated 1960's concept that the best - if not only - way to create the future is by demolishing the past.

And, for another point of view  be certain to read the rather different Sunday LA Times coverage which includes  Christopher Hawthorne's review.