It May Be One of the Country's Worst Airports, But At Least LAX Has a Song

You may remember our November 2009 post on the Flight Path Learning Center and Museum -- located right on the LAX flight path. (Check out their official website here.)

It's still one of the best-kept secrets about LAX -- a completely free museum complete with tons of memorabilia from the jet age and before. We first discovered the museum during the L.A. Conservancy's "It's a Mod, Mod, Mod World" tour of the South Bay's 1960s-era architecture, and vowed to come back.

Because my parents were in town this week, it was time to once again visit the museum. (My dad, after all, has spent his entire career around the world of aviation and flight.)

We were pretty much the only people in the museum when we visited on Tuesday -- and as a result, the staff lavished plenty of attention on us. They sat us down to watch a propaganda video about how great LAX is (slightly outdated, however, as it also touted Palmdale as an airport of the future). What also stood out, however, was the revelation that LAX is the only airport to have a hit song named after it.

I had never heard the song before, but apparently Country singer Susan Raye scored a minor hit in the 1970s with "Los Angeles International Airport."

A protege of Buck Owens, Raye appeared for several years on "Hee Haw." Wikipedia has more:

Her biggest year as a solo artist came in 1971, when she issued three consecutive Top Ten hits — "L.A. International Airport," "Pitty, Pitty, Patter," and "(I've Got A) Happy Heart." The title track of 1972's My Heart Has a Mind of Its Own also reached the Top Ten. Although not her biggest hit, "L.A. International Airport" became Raye's signature song, peaking at #9 on the Billboard Country Chart and a minor hit on the Billboard Pop Top 100, peaking at #54.

Raye dropped out of the business in the 1980s.

As for the museum, I summed it up a few months ago:

Everything from 1960s-era flight attendant outfits, to old airline seats, to an actual old DC-3 plane are a part of the museum. I was especially intrigued by all of the items saved from long-lost airlines like Pan Am, Western, Air California and many more.

The museum building originally served as an operation facility for Northrop Aircraft Corporation from 1951 to 1965; it then became a terminal for charter flights and foreign carriers that didn't have regularly scheduled service. MGM Grand Air took the building over in 1987, until it went out of business. The building was empty until the museum -- a joint venture between the Los Angeles World Airports and the Flight Path Learning Center of Southern California -- was founded.

And you gotta love free. The Flight Path Learning Center is located in the LAX Imperial Terminal, located at 6661 W. Imperial Highway, Los Angeles on the south side of the airport. It's open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Retro Friday: Baby, You Got What I Need Edition

Ooh, snap, guess what I saw!

Listening to KDAY today, Biz Markie's "Just a Friend" came on... and right there, in my Honda CRV, I was transported back to high school. I couldn't resist finding the video (above), which I hadn't seen in at least 10 years.

Biz Markie completely disappeared for a while -- at least from pop culture conciousness -- but if you've got a preschooler, you've probably beat boxed along to "Biz's Beat of the Day" on "Yo Gabba Gabba."

FRANKLIN AVENUE PLAYLIST: January 2010

A recent playlist from Franklin Avenue's Choice Cuts mixes:

January 2010

Two Weeks -- Grizzly Bear (4:03)
Empire State Of Mind -- Jay-Z (Feat. Alicia Keys) (4:37)
The Wooden Chair -- Jenny Wilson (3:15)
You! Me! Dancing! -- Los Campesinos! (5:00)
Walkabout -- Atlas Sound (3:59)
Animal (Mark Ronson Remix) -- Miike Snow (4:58)
Slow Poison (Of Montreal Remix) -- The Bravery (4:01)
Audience -- Cold War Kids (3:02)
Whatcha Say -- Jason Derulo (3:43)
Front Row (Acoustic) -- Metric (3:14)
Cruel Intentions (Heartbreak's Slow Action Remix) -- Simian Mobile Disco (feat. Beth Ditto) (3:28)
Symphonies -- Dan Black (feat. Kid Cudi) (3:40)
Sad Song- Pacific -- Au Revoir Simone (3:26)
I Would Like to Call It Beauty -- Corinne Bailey Rae (4:19)
Mystery Zone -- Spoon (4:59)
Squeeze Me -- Kraak & Smaak (3:18)
Deadbeat Summer -- Neon Indian (4:03)
Seven -- Fever Ray (5:10)
Never Gonna Let You Go -- Esthero (4:00)
Always Free -- The Kooks (3:31)

No, Valencia, You're Not Allowed To Call Yourself "Awesometown"

Valencia: You are a planned bedroom community. That's fine, there's plenty of demand for that.

But that's not "awesome." Wikipedia defines "awesome" as Causing awe or terror; inspiring wonder or excitement; Excellent, exciting, remarkable.

Don't people move to Valencia in order to get away from all of that? I think Newhall Land's other, sterile slogan for the community is more appropriate: "Built as promised."

By the way, "Awesometown" was the name of a 2005 Fox pilot from The Lonely Island - the comedy troupe featuring Andy Samberg:

Los Angeles, Ad Town: Union Station Edition (One in a series)

From an ad for Fidelity: A stroll through Los Angeles' Union Station (the site of Mike and Maria's wedding, of course!)

MIKE ON TV: Chatting Family-Friendly Fare With CNBC

The folks at CNBC were flummoxed by the idea that Walmart and Procter & Gamble were teaming up to buy time on NBC to air the family-friendly TV movie "Secrets of the Mountain" -- so much so that they even had me on "Power Lunch" last week (above) to explain it. (By the way, they didn't feed me lunch. Hey, if I'm going on 'Power Lunch,' I want lunch. And a powerful one at that. But I digress.)

Trader Joe's Customers Go "Head Over Heels"

Every once in a while, I have one of those moments where suddenly I feel like an extra in a movie. That happened again on Sunday night at the Glendale outpost of Trader Joe's.

With Blogger Preschooler in the shopping cart, I was strolling through the veggie aisle when Tears for Fears' 1985 hit "Head Over Heels" came on the loudspeaker.

Catchy tune -- and slightly less overplayed than "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" and "Shout." But a funny thing happened -- as the song started, the guy next to me, sticking his paws on TJ's apple varieties, began singing along.

That's cool, I thought -- I nearly did myself. So I strolled on, past the wines. A guy standing there, mulling over the Two Buck Chuck, began whistling.

Wow, people really like this song, I thought.

I pushed the cart past the bread. The chorus was about to erupt on "Head Over Heels." And wouldn't you know it -- the guy standing with his girlfriend, grabbing a loaf, busts out into the chorus.

And then I caught another guy, in line for a free sample, chiming in as well.

Surreal. Yet kinda cool. After I mentioned this in a Tweet, blogger Jessica Ritz replied that the same thing happened to her at a TJ's -- but with the Beach Boys' "I Get Around."

"Felt like a scene in a PT Anderson movie," she said.

Perhaps there's something about the informal, bonding experience of walking the aisles of Trader Joe's that allows folks' guards to come down -- and their inner Karaoke-ing self to come out.

Is This What the Los Angeles Times Really Thinks of Its KTLA Siblings?

Here are the KTLA "stories" that the L.A. Times chose to highlight over the weekend. Hard-hitting stuff: Tiger, Audrina Patridge and a puppy.

My question: Was this the best KTLA had to offer? Or is this what the LAT folks figured would get the most clicks? Or is this the LAT's subtle statement on what it thinks KTLA (or all local news) has to offer?

Jennifer Ferro to Replace Ruth Seymour as KCRW General Manager

As KCRW general manager Ruth Seymour exits, Santa Monica College has named her No. 2, Jennifer Ferro, to replace her. Here's the press release:

FERRO NAMED KCRW’S NEW GENERAL MANAGER

SMC Selects Assistant General Manager to Succeed Ruth Seymour at Its Renowned Public Radio Station

Santa Monica College is pleased to announce that Jennifer Ferro , who currently serves as Assistant General Manager of public radio station KCRW 89.9 FM and www.KCRW.com, has been named the new General Manager of the renowned station.

The SMC Board of Trustees today (Feb. 20) approved the selection of Ferro, who begins in her new position March 1. Ferro succeeds Ruth Seymour, who is retiring Feb. 26 after running KCRW for 32 years and building it into a powerhouse National Public Radio affiliate with a global audience.

"Jennifer epitomizes the perfect mix of traditional public radio experience, and the strategic and creative new media thinking that will be critical to KCRW's continued success in the years ahead," said SMC President Dr. Chui L. Tsang in making the announcement.

SMC holds KCRW’s license and was responsible for the search to find Seymour's replacement.

Ferro has worked in all areas of the station’s operations, including programming, marketing, new media, technology development and fundraising since joining the KCRW staff in 1994. She first came to the station as a volunteer arts reporter in 1991. Ferro’s independent spirit impressed Seymour, who hired her as an assistant. She was promoted to Assistant General Manager in 1997.

"I'm thrilled to be able to get the opportunity to lead the best public radio station in the country and I’m excited to work with the station's incredible staff on the challenges and opportunities in front of us. It's a dream job," Ferro said.

"Jennifer is an ideal choice to lead the station forward," said outgoing manager Ruth Seymour. "She brings her own unique approach and vision to KCRW. She's innovative, courageous and independent. She's an experienced programmer, producer and fundraiser. She will make a terrific manager and I look forward to a KCRW under her leadership."

Ferro is the executive director of some of the station's most popular programs, including “Good Food with Evan Kleiman," and "DnA: Design and Architecture with Frances Anderton." "Good Food" is the station's highest-grossing one-hour program during pledge drives.

Ferro is also leading the station in working with SMC to build a new facility for KCRW, which will be integrated into the college’s Academy of Entertainment & Technology campus. The new facility, which recently won a creativity award from the Urban Land Institute, is scheduled for completion by 2013.

In addition to creating a plan to improve on-air fundraising tactics, Ferro spearheaded a change in KCRW's online strategy that includes its three live Internet radio channels, successful iPhone apps, active blogs, original content features, and social media strategies.

Ferro is also known in the broader sphere of public radio. She serves as a Board Member for the Development Exchange, Inc., the public radio industry's fundraising, revenue and marketing organization. She’s also appeared as a panelist about public radio at numerous new media and broadcasting conferences.

Ferro is married and is the mother of two daughters, 7 and 9. She is a soccer player as well as an AYSO youth soccer coach.

Gonna be quite a change to hear someone else's voice during KCRW's semi-annual pledge drives.

Retro Friday: Request Video Edition

Folks who were SoCal teens in the late 1980s and early 1990s remember "Request Video" on KDOC-Channel 56. Here are two clips from the final episode, in 1990.

Sorry, Angelenos: Unlike you, Guam gets its Olympics coverage LIVE

Above, from KNBC's website: Viewers are FURIOUS... about ice skating coverage?

It still amazes me that KNBC allows its viewers to trash the station regularly on its own website. I guess it's a credit to them that they don't scrape those comments immediately.

Recently, viewers have been hammering the station and NBC hard for tape delaying the network's primetime Olympics coverage.

I'm of two minds on this. On the one hand, of course NBC wants to keep its coverage in primetime, when more viewers are able to watch -- even if it means we're stuck with three-hour old fare that had been live on the West Coast. It's nothing new for the Pacific time zone, where we regularly have to accept tape-delayed fare.

But in this age of Twitter, it's hard to keep results of sporting events and awards shows a secret. That's why NBC carried the Golden Globes live on the West Coast this year -- and why, perhaps, NBC should have carried the primetime Games live at 4 p.m., and then repeated again at 7.

Here's another obscure fact that might make you a little steamed. L.A. is in Vancouver's time zone, while Guam... is not so much in Vancouver's time zone. Not even close. Guam is 18 hours ahead of the Pacific time zone. When it's 5 p.m. Thursday on the West Coast, it's 11 a.m. Friday in Guam.

Yet Guam gets its Winter Olympics coverage live. Yes, live. At the same time as the folks in New York are watching. It's just a lot brighter out in Guam than it is in New York right now. And Friday.

Thanks to the International Date Line difference, Guam is watching NBC's primetime coverage of the Winter Olympics at 11 a.m. each morning. And Guam NBC affiliate KUAM-TV is then repeating that same coverage in primetime at 7 p.m.(when it's 4 a.m. in New York, and no live coverage), giving folks who missed it live a second chance to watch.

(Cut to scenes of angry West Coasters, burned by spoilers from East Coast Twitter feeds, throwing their iPhones at the TV screen.)

For its part, NBC has pointed out that primetime allows for the largest audience to catch the Games’ biggest events. (It also makes a rather big difference for advertisers.) The network has also worked to keep much content off the web (with less online streaming this time, as several news orgs have pointed out).

But beyond that, viewers on the West Coast -- who point out that they’re even in the same time zone as the Vancouver Olympics (the first Pacific time zone Games since the 1984 Los Angeles event) -- will have to keep practicing caution before hitting the Web.

If it makes you feel any better, the folks in Guam have to watch live coverage of the Super Bowl on a Monday morning every year. How weird is that?

Original 90210 Beach House For Sale

Ahh, so many memories. The "Beverly Hills 90210" beach house. I can remember those summers as if it were yesterday, hanging with Brandon, Dylan, Donna, David, Kelly and the Ghost of David's Geeky Friend Who Offed Himself In Season One. (OK, not really.)

But hey, if you've got $10 million to blow, Shelterpop reports that the "90210" beach house is indeed available:

Because oceanfront property is at an uber-premium, most southern California beach towns line houses up along the beach like matches in a matchbook. Hermosa Beach is no different and many of the oceanfront homes offer little in the way of privacy due to all the walkers, bikers and roller skaters who often fill the sidewalk that runs along the back of the property.

The "Beverly Hills, 90210" beach house property has 136-feet of beach frontage –78 feet on the west and 58 feet on the north. Located on the coveted Strand, the property is not only right on the sand, it's also walking distance to the beachy shops and eateries of Manhattan Beach, California.

The building has three units including an owners unit on the ground floor that contains 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and direct access to the back yard. The second floor apartment or guest suite has 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms while the third floor, the one that offers the best views and the most privacy, has 2 bedrooms and 1 bathroom.

More at Shelterpop. (Pic via Vintage Properties Company, Inc.)

Consider This Practice for November's Great Los Angeles Walk

Did you miss the fourth annual Great Los Angeles Walk last November? First off, shame on you. You missed an amazing trek through Historic West Adams, among other sites.

But not all is lost: Friend of Franklin Avenue (and Great Los Angeles Walk vet) Will Campbell (above, with another Walk regular, Joni) is putting together a walk down Adams and Jefferson Blvds.

Normally a bike-riding fiend, Will has also been known to embark on lengthy all-day hikes -- down Sunset and down Western, for example. His course for March 6 is a bit more tame: Just 15 miles. He writes:

My next in a semi-irregular mostly biannual series of silly walks is scheduled to take place on the sixth day of the appropriately named month of March — and will be a far less WTF-inducing distance of 15 miles that starts and ends at Hoover and Jefferson and whose route will stick primarily to Jefferson and Adams boulevards across the interesting neighborhoods they traverse and will include an ascent to take in the spectacular panoramic views afforded by the Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook State Park.

Even better: since the shorter distance means we don’t have to get stepping at the crackadawn, the walk will get moving at a far more civilized hour of 10 a.m. Hope you can join me.

Check out his route map here.

License Plate of the Day: Superman Edition

Clark Kent in the car!

FREE L.A.: Amoeba Records' Music Downloads Page

Where iTunes usually offers just one or two free song downloads a week -- and they can be very hit or miss -- Amoeba's extensive free downloads pages are chock full of good stuff.

Plus, I trust the Amoeba team's music taste a whole lot more than I trust iTunes. Find 12 pages of the downloads here.

Here's Where "Lost's" Jack Shephard Really Works

We got a good look at Jack Shephard's (Matthew Fox) business card on Tuesday night's "Lost" -- but there's a couple of big problems.



First, "8444 Wilshire" is actually in Beverly Hills, near the corner of Wilshire and La Cienega (see the red marker above). Then there's this other little issue: In real life, 8444 Wilshire is an old office building, with the Wilshire Theatre (now known as the Saban Theatre) down below.

Sorry, there's no St. Sebastian hospital in the near vicinity.

Is this a sign? A post-"Lost" stage show to debut at the Wilshire Theatre?



Here's the real estate listing for 8444 Wilshire.

UPDATE: Thanks to Jodi, who noted that, indeed, the Paley Fest's "Lost" panel takes place on Feb. 27 AT THE SABAN THEATRE!!! MY MIND IS BLOWN!

Los Angeles, Ad Town: Jack in the Box Edition One in a Series

For its new ad campaign, Jack in the Box traveled to the historic Colorado Street Bridge in Pasadena (known, unfortunately, as the "suicide bridge"). In the ad, company mascot Jack bungee jumps off the bridge, and impales the road below with his crown.



The new campaign promotes Jack in the Box's new sandwiches. Jack in the Box's last major ad campaign, for its line of bowls, was shot in the offices right below us at the Variety Building.

"All My Children" Star David Canary to Leave: The Eric Garcetti connection

Was it something Eric said?

Strange coincidence that "All My Children" star David Canary announced today that he was leaving the soap opera after 27 years. Today also happens to be the air date for Los Angeles City Council president Eric Garcetti's appearance on the show.

Garcetti was there to signify "AMC's" move out West, to the Andrita Studios in Glassell Park. He played himself, visiting fictional Pine Valley and meeting with Canary's character about environmentally friendly initiatives. (Yeah, perhaps a bit of a stretch.)

Here's the word on Canary's exit:

Mr. Canary joined the cast of "All My Children" in 1983, playing the powerful and mercurial Adam Chandler, as well as Adam's shy and gentle twin, Stuart, and was honored with Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actor for his portrayal of these characters in 1988, 1989, 1993, 1995 and 2001. Mr. Canary will continue to be on air through the end of April, 2010. Fans can expect a scandalous end to his marriage to Annie (Melissa Claire Egan) and a reunion with one of his former ex-wives. In true standing with “All My Children” history, the aftermath of his departure will leave a fight for power within the Chandler household.

Mr. Canary said: "My career on 'All My Children' has given me more than words could ever covey, both professionally and personally. I have cherished each and every moment. I would like to thank all the fans who have tuned in throughout the years. Their love and support has meant the world to me. I truly feel that I will leave the show in great hands. Viewers will be happy with how Adam departs the canvas, and I know that leaving JR (Jacob Young) as head of the Chandler household will continue to provide the show with many great stories to come. This is not the last you've seen of Adam Chandler. I will be back to check up on the Chandler Clan."

The Hollywood Sign's Role in the Launch of the Fox Network

As the media extensively covered last week's Hollywood sign stunt, it served as a reminder that the landmark used to frequently be altered by businesses, college kids and pranksters.

These days, that never happens -- pranksters now have to rely on fake, doctored video footage -- which is why the Trust for Public Land scored tons of attention when it altered the sign to read "Save the Peak." (The Trust is looking to call attention to its efforts to buy and preserve nearby land on Cahuenga Peak.)



In 1987, Fox had much less altruistic reasons for altering the sign. The brand-new network, which launched its primetime schedule in April 1987, was looking to promote its debut, and hoped to make noise by turning the Hollywood sign into "Fox" (altering the "HOL" letters, and covering up the rest).



The business-oriented alterations of the sign appear to have ended after 1992's "Cool World." To promote that movie, a massive cutout of lead character Holli Would was placed on top of the sign -- angering many individuals. Paramount paid $54,000 to turn the sign into a massive promotion. (It's unclear how much News Corp. paid back in 1987.)

The Search for L.A.'s 24-Hour Starbucks Location

Los Angeles may be the second-largest metro area in the country -- but when it comes to finding an open coffee shop after 11 p.m., Angelenos are still mostly out of luck.

There are, of course, some coffeehouses open late -- the Insomnia Cafe on Beverly, for example, is open until 1:30 a.m.

But late coffeeshops are rare -- particularly chains like Starbucks or Coffee Bean. According to multiple web reports, Starbucks once operated at least one 24-hour location in L.A., but it long ago pulled back on that location's hours. People still claim that they know of 24-hour Starbucks locations -- but these are probably the same people who claim they've seen a Dunkin' Donuts location here in SoCal. They don't know.

As a result, these days late-night caffeine addicts have had to settle for the 7-Eleven swill.

That is changing, at least temporarily, downtown. According to Blog Downtown, the Starbucks location at L.A. Live is testing extended hours, keeping open until 2 a.m. (except Sunday, when it closes at 1 a.m.). Move was in response to the opening of new JW Marriott hotel this week.

Where do you usually go for your late-night coffee runs?

Los Angeles Magazine Wants You to "Get LA"

Los Angeles mag's new "Get LA" film competition is already underway -- but you still have until the end of the month to digitally capture your take on our city.

To kick off "Get LA," L.A. mag's Chris Nichols put together the short above (click to watch). To shoot "Designed for Dreaming," he convinced "21 of the city's optimists, futurists, and dreamers" to perform this poem, created for GM in 1956 as a nod to the future. City Councilman Tom LaBonge, architects Dion Neutra and Frank Escher, Los Angeles Conservancy executive director Linda Dishman, "histotainer" Charles Phoenix and soprano Dabney Ross Jones (above) are among the notables chiming in.

L.A. mag hopes to convince as many Angelenos -- both filmmakers and civilians -- as possible to create their own three-minute videos about Los Angeles. Details:

GET LA film competition is open to Los Angeles County residents. The films can biographical, documentary, fictional, or aspirational portraits of the city and its residents. In order to be accessible to diverse members of the community entry of a film into the competition is free. Submissions for the competition will run from February 3-March 3, 2010. Finalists will be announced and posted online March 15 to be judged by viewers (who will choose an “Audience Favorite”) and a panel of notable Angelenos as judges (who will choose an “Official Selection”). The winners will be announced in early April. Film entries will be submitted and viewed at lamag.com/citythink/getla.

Judges include David Arquette, Richard Dreyfuss, Eric Garcetti, chef Evan Kleiman, movie critic Joe Morgenstern, and USA Network's Jeff Wachtel.

Volunteer org L.A. Works is also sponsoring the contest, along with the new L.A. Magazine Foundation. It's also a part of L.A. mag's 50th anniversary "City Think" initiative.

Retro Special: President's Day Edition

Several TV sitcoms have been set inside the White House through the years -- with little success. Actually, some of the shows have been notoriously bad -- while one, "The Secret Diary of Desmond Pfeiffer," was deeemed downright offensive by some.

Here are a few of the most memorable from the past few decades. Above, George C. Scott starred as "Mr. President" for Fox -- one of the then-fledgling network's first shows, in 1987.



The thought of a female Commander in Chief was so ridiculous in 1985, it was played for laughs in ABC's "Hail to the Chief," starring Patty Duke.



And yes, of course, the notorious UPN entry, 1998's "The Secret Diary of Desmond Pfeiffer" -- starring Chi McBride as the black English butler to President Abraham Lincoln.

Retro Friday: The 1963 Baldwin Hills Dam Disaster and Flood

This week's muddy mess up in the Foothills (thanks to the Station Fire and the massive rains) destroyed homes, but thankfully didn't create any injuries.

Of course, rain hasn't been the only factor in past L.A. wet disasters. The 1963 collapse of the Baldwin Hills dam led to five deaths -- and ruined countless homes. KTLA's helicopter captured the disaster as it happened, as recounted by this clip from the History Channel.

Ugh, Philippe's, What Happened?

(Flickr pic by mseratt99.)

One of our favorite L.A. landmarks, downtown's Philippe the Original restaurant -- home of the French Dip -- has been temporarily shut down due to a, um, cockroach problem.

Yuck.

As the Los Angeles Times reports that "health inspectors discovered the problem about 11 a.m. Wednesday after conducting an inspection prompted by citizens’ complaints, said Angelo Bellomo, director of environmental health for the Los Angeles County Public Health Department."

More:

He said the restaurant typically receives high scores during routine inspections. County inspectors conducted such an inspection Wednesday, in addition to the probe based on the complaint, and the business scored in the low 90s, Bellomo said.

But inspectors had to close the restaurant for 48 hours to allow the vermin to be removed.

"When you have a violation like a live cockroach infestation, it doesn't matter how good the score is," Bellomo said.

Philippe's could reopen by noon on Friday, inspectors said.

Other recent, notable restaurant shut downs:

Cafe Stella (Silver Lake), Dec. 17-19
California Science Center IMAX (Downtown), Jan. 7-11 (really!)
Cindy's Restaurant (Eagle Rock), Nov. 13-15
Little New York Gourmet (West Hollywood), Dec. 12-14
Main Kitchen - Wilshire Grand (Downtown), Dec. 4-6
Taqueria Jalisco (Mid-City), Nov. 12-17
Three Drunken Goats (Montrose), Feb. 2-4
Ye Coach and Horses (Hollywood), Jan. 22-25

More here.

Good News: The 1960s-Era Century Plaza Hotel Is Saved

Good news from the Los Angeles Conservancy: The 1966 Century Plaza Hotel -- which was threatened for demolition -- will be preserved.

Century Plaza owners Next Century Associates announced the news Thursday morning, along with the conservancy. Here's the press release:

The owners of the Century Plaza Hotel, Next Century Associates, along with the Los Angeles Conservancy and the National Trust for Historic Preservation, today announced plans for a revised development project that would preserve the famed hotel.

Next Century Associates originally proposed a project that called for the demolition of the historic hotel and redevelopment of the property with a mixed use project comprising hotel, residential, office, retail, public plazas, and open space. In 2009, the National Trust listed the hotel as one of America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places.

At the urging of Los Angeles City Councilmember Paul Koretz, the Los Angeles Conservancy, the National Trust, and Next Century Associates worked collaboratively to come up with a proposal that would preserve the hotel while allowing for new development on the property.

"Next Century's willingness to embrace a plan that preserves the hotel is a great step forward," said Councilmember Koretz. "The process serves as a model of how a developer can work together with the preservation community to bring forward a solution that preserves an important structure, allows future development on the property, and better serves the goals of the community."

The revised development project will preserve the existing hotel building while providing a mix of residential, office, and retail uses on the property. The project will undergo the normal City review and approval process including a full environmental impact report (EIR) which will be submitted later this year. It will also be reviewed by the Cultural Heritage Commission for eligibility as a City Historic-Cultural Monument. Councilmember Koretz added, "I look forward to reviewing the revised project and assuring a complete and open community process. Any new development will have to be consistent with the Century City North Specific Plan."

The release also notes: "Completed in 1966, the Century Plaza Hotel was built as the centerpiece of Century City, a 'city within a city,' conceived 50 years ago as a progressive approach to urban planning. Century City rose on the former back lot of 20th Century-Fox Studios. The existing 726-room hotel with its sweeping curved facade has been a gathering place for celebrities, politicians and world dignitaries. The hotel was designed by architect and engineer Minoru Yamasaki, who was also the architect of Century City’s Theme Towers and New York's World Trade Center towers."

Nice win for the Conservancy, coming soon after the sad loss of the 1960s-era Columbia Savings building at the corner of Wilshire and La Brea. The Conservancy has spent the past year highlighting Los Angeles' 1960s-era architecture, including its It's a Mod, Mod, Mod, Mod City event last November.

Quite a coincidence that a big chunk of last night's episode of "Modern Family" was shot at the Century Plaza.

License Plate of the Day: Ex-"House"-Star-Turned-Obama-Staffer Edition

This is sort of a strange one. Big Kal Penn stalker? "House" devotee? "Harold and Kumar" mega-fan? Relative of Kal Penn? Or Kal Penn himself, wanting the world to know that he is Kal Penn?



Penn now serves as the Associate Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement.

Los Angeles Cameo: The Century Plaza Hotel on "Modern Family"

Perhaps the Los Angeles Conservancy should enlist the cast of ABC's hit comedy "Modern Family" to help save the endangered Century Plaza Hotel.

The hotel played a large role in this week's Valentine's Day-themed episode, as Phil and Claire look to recharge their marriage by getting a room at a hotel -- while downstairs, Jay and Gloria go to see a standup routine by comedian David Brenner.

Above, a scene shot in the lobby (and below, how the lobby normally looks.)



A few more shots, as Claire is stuck on the escalator:





And how that part normally looks:

The Wednesday Poll: Looking for Love in L.A.

With Valentine's Day fast approaching... let's tackle that old cliche that it's more difficult to find love in L.A. compared to most major cities. Is it our car culture? Our high cost of living? Our insular lives? Or is it all just bull? Take the Wednesday Poll:

Border Grill Makes a Push To Get Into LAX

LAX continues to be a culinary wasteland -- particularly in some terminals. The Border Grill gals want to change that.

The restaurant has launched a campaign to try and persuade airport commissioners to allow an outpost of the Border Grill at LAX.

Here's a note from chef/owners Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger:

Wouldn't it be great to have the delicious Mexican food of Border Grill at the Los Angeles International Airport?

With a Border Margarita and a Yucatan Pork Taco, suddenly getting to the airport two hours early isn't that bad. Grab a Carne Asada Quesadilla to go, and you'll never go
hungry on a flight again.

For over 25 years, Border Grill has been shaping the food culture in Los Angeles. Now we're so excited at the possibility of showcasing Border Grill to the world at LAX. More importantly, we would love to share our food, flavors, and fun with you
when you're at the airport.

Yes, please. Go here for more info.

SPEAKING OF Feniger, she has signed on to compete in the next edition of Bravo's "Top Chef Masters." Here are the L.A.-based contestants for the competition, which returns for season two on April 7:

Govind Armstrong - 8 oz Burger Bar, Los Angeles, Calif.
Susan Feniger - Street, Los Angeles, Calif.
Ludo Lefebvre - Ludo Bites, Los Angeles, Calif.
Mark Peel - Campanile, Los Angeles, Calif.

Lefebvre and Peel return from season one.

Crazy L.A. Weather Continues, and the Return of the Rainbow

Crazy weather today -- dark skies, thunder and lightning -- and another rainbow outside our 30th floor window.



I also just got a report of more rainbow spotting in Burbank.

Villaraigosa and Garcetti, Soap Opera Stars

The "All My Children" episodes featuring Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and City Council president Eric Garcetti are set to air next week.

According to ABC, "the Mayor will play himself, crossing paths with Erica Kane (Susan Lucci) at ConFusion, the local hotspot that's owned in part by Erica Kane. The two will have a back story of having met at a charity event in LA the year before." Still not sure how Villaraigosa just happens to wind up in the fictional town of Pine Valley.



Garcetti, meanwhile, will appear in a scene with David Canary (who plays the role of Adam Chandler). "His story will find him in Pine Valley, meeting Adam Chandler about the initiatives they are taking together to make Chandler Enterprises more environmentally friendly." How Garcetti's jurisdiction suddenly includes Pine Valley is also a mystery.

Garcetti's episode runs Feb. 16, while Villaraigosa will be seen Feb. 17. The duo, of course, were invited to be on the show as part of "All My Children's" big move to Andrita Studios in Glassell Park.

(Photos: ABC/Rick Rowell)

Honey, the LAT Shrunk the Comics, Part II: The Cartoonists Respond

Cartoonists are taking the Los Angeles Times' shrinking comic strips in stride, noting that it's better than the alternative -- losing carriage of their strip all together.

It kind of reminds me of what I tell people these days when they ask me about my job. I usually answer something to the effect of, "Hey, it's just nice to be working."

It's true -- I toil in the print media, which is not exactly a growth industry. I'm sure many of you answer that question in the same exact way.

That's why I wasn't too surprised to find that cartoonists are resigned to shrinking reality of newspaper comic strips. Cartoonists have been complaining about the trend for years, as their work gets harder and harder to read -- but these days, as newspapers as a whole continue to get smaller, they're just happy to still get published anywhere.

I asked "Candorville" creator Darrin Bell and "La Cucaracha" creator Lalo Alcaraz -- both based in Los Angeles -- to weigh in on the changes.

"Tonight I was laughing at myself about this very thing," Alcaraz wrote me. "Sure, the comics pages are shrunk, and damn, the Sundays look almost the size of dailies, but... the whole paper is shrinking. It's comforting that we notice the comics first, God bless us everyone! But now the LA Times is the size of the Long Beach Press Telegram.

"I did turn in a daily gag about the comics shrinking, it's pretty much mandatory for cartoonists to note this long running development. It should run next week.

"On the bright side, I haven't been shrunk out of the paper."

Bell, meanwhile, said he was being realistic:

"I'd love it if they could run my work 8" across, but the reality is papers are struggling to survive, newsprint costs a fortune, and if it's a choice between dropping more content (which'll alienate readers) and shrinking the content they have, they've made the right choice. I'm hoping the iPad takes off, every newspaper eventually moves to that kind of platform and then this won't be an issue anymore. But for now, I have no problem with them choosing to shrink content to save it. On the bright side, this should be a boon to the magnifying glass industry."

Both "Candorville" and "La Cucaracha" were briefly dropped, and then reinstated, by the LAT during an earlier comic strip switcheroo. (BTW, yes, the strips above have been extremely shrunk down for dramatic effect. It's actually not as bad as what you see above. Or, at least, not quite.)

As for that massive house ad that has now been slapped in the middle of the LAT comics page, it finally dawned on me why it's there (as opposed to, say, new comics): It's gotta be a placeholder for an ad -- they're gonna try to sell a strip ad in the middle of the comics!

RELATED: Honey, the LAT Shrunk the Comics -- I Mean, REALLY Shrunk the Comics

Local Media Notes: KNBC Traffic Reporter Undergoes Brain Surgery; Former KOST Host Finds New Home

:: "Today in L.A." traffic anchor Paul Johnson has been absent for several weeks -- leading several viewers to leave comments on KNBC/Channel 4's web site, asking what happened.

KNBC finally addressed Johnson's condition on Friday, noting that he had undergone brain surgery. The station reports:

If you're wondering where Paul Johnson is, you're not alone. We've had tons of emails and calls, and Paul wants you to know that he's truly grateful for your concern.

Paul underwent brain surgery the last week of January and is at home recovering. He's doing well, walking his dogs and hoping to get back up on that horse. Yes, literally -- he and his wife Nancy have a horse in the back yard, right next to the putting green, so he has all three things he loves the most around him at all times. Well, four things, if you count the Great Dane therapy dogs, Sampson and Atlas, that he counts as part of his family.

Johnson has been with KNBC since 1988.



:: The last we heard of Kim Amidon, the longtime Los Angeles radio personality was let go by KOST after nearly 22 years as Mark Wallengren's co-host.

After a few years off the air, Amidon is back, and serving as a weekend DJ on KTWV "The Wave" 94.7 FM.

The move comes as Kim's former KOST boss, Jhani Kaye (who has more recently overseen KRTH "K-Earth"), recently added oversight of "The Wave" to his duties.

Kaye has been charged with updating "The Wave's" sound -- and perhaps go directly against his old KOST home. Hiring Amidon is a part of that.

Honey, the LAT Shrunk the Comics -- I Mean, REALLY Shrunk the Comics

Turns out "Cathy" is even more annoying when shrunk down another 15%.

The Los Angeles Times is trying the patience of comics readers, some of whom are still smarting over the paper's last strip switcheroo (which led to the loss of the popular "Sally Forth"). Now, the paper's new size has made it even tougher to read the comics -- which have been dramatically shrunk down -- all together.

The Los Angeles Times' comments blog noted that the shrunken comics have elicited more complaints than just about anything else (although the paper has yet to address the issue). A few samplings:

Maureen wrote: Regarding your shrunken comics: Presumably you want to retain your subscribers, and I would guess that a lot of them are getting a little older and having a little more trouble focusing on the small print. Perhaps you should provide us with magnifying glasses?

C.J. wrote: I applaud your reducing the physical dimensions of the paper: the smaller page makes it easier to read at the breakfast table. But the commensurate reduction in the dimensions of the comic-strip panels -- already reduced more than they are meant to be in reproduction -- is verging on the absurd. Any smaller and I'll be forced to use the magnifying glass that came with my 2-volume OED.

People are particularly peeved that with the shrunken comics, the paper has plenty of room to run that huge house ad smack in the middle of the strips.

What's up with that house ad? It never changes -- promoting the "Hero Complex" blog every day last week. Plus, it's strangely just dropped right in the middle of the comics, as opposed to the bottom. AND, most puzzling, it's a missed opportunity to either enlarge some comics, or even add a few that were dropped during the last comics downsize.

I wonder if "Doonesbury" creator Garry Trudeau has seen what his strip now looks like in the Times. Trudeau used to ask that his strip appear larger that most in newspapers -- and most, including the LAT, once upon a time obliged. But the LAT shrunk "Doonesbury" down during its last comics revamp -- and now that it has been made even smaller, the strip is nearly impossible to read.

The paper has addressed the other reader complaints about the crossword puzzle -- which was relocated to the center of a page, preventing readers from folding the paper in half in order to do the puzzle. Oh, they heard about that one! (The crossword puzzle complaint earned a post on the LAT's Readers Representative blog.)

News about the Los Angeles Times' recent production changes had been focused on the paper's early press time (thanks to its new deal to publish the Wall Street Journal on LAT presses) and the new "LATExtra" section created to cobble together late breaking stories. (So far, LATExtra has read more like the return of the California/Local section.)

But as part of the decision to also shave an inch from the paper's width (moving from 12 inches to 11 inches wide), the LAT has also trimmed down some of its features -- hence the tough-to-read comics.

Retro Friday: A Tour of Hollywood, Circa Early 1950s

In the 1950s TV series "You Asked For It," viewers would write in and request to see something on the then-new small screen. In this clip, a viewer asked to see a tour of Hollywood and the stars' homes via a Gray Line bus tour.

Today, a show would probably fly that person out and actually give them the tour. But nah -- in the 1950s, we simply follow the cameraman and host as they go on the tour and shoot it.

Much of this video chronicles stars -- both famed and long-forgotten -- in their homes; but there are also classic shots of the Hollywood outpost of the Brown Derby; Ciro's; the Beverly Hills Hotel, and more.

Sorry, Ke$ha, We Don't Buy Your Hollywood Sign "Stunt" For A Second

It's a little too slick for a viral video, but I'm sure pop tart Ke$ha is fooling more than a few folks with this YouTube clip. Watch as Ke$ha and a few fellow boozy galpals take some spray paint and sheets and alter the Hollywood sign to read "KE$HAWOOD."

Plenty of folks have managed to alter the sign in the past -- but Ke$ha's not one of them. As folks have noted in the comments to the video, it would take a lot of planning, a lot of strategy -- and a lot of sheets -- to pull off this caper. (And, by the way, no one has managed to alter the sign in years -- so it would have been big news if anyone, let alone a major recording artist, had pulled it off.)

And as you may recall, we know a thing or two about sneaking up to the off-limits Hollywood sign -- having done it ourselves years ago:

Los Angeles mag staffer: Sorry, Photogs, I'm Not Abbie Cornish

This is pretty amusing: Los Angeles magazine staffer Caroline Cagney grabbed a coffee the other morning at the Starbucks in Larchmont Village.

A few hours later, a photo of Caroline walking down Larchmont appeared in a gallery of celebrity photos. Why? Apparently the paparazzi thought they were taking shots of actress Abbie Cornish. Nope.

Caroline took it all in stride -- even though it's kinda creepy when you think about it. She writes:

I’m headed back to Starbucks in hopes of fooling the photogs again, this time wearing fierce undies and some bubble wrap. I can channel Lady Gaga.

VIDEO: Wilshire's Columbia Savings Building Comes Crumbling Down

From the L.A. Conservancy, a video chronicle of the 1965 Columbia Savings Building teardown. As the organization notes:

demolition of the 1965 Columbia Savings Building. This important example of postwar bank architecture - which later served as Wilshire Grace Church - stood at the corner of Wilshire Boulevard and La Brea Avenue on Los Angeles' Miracle Mile. Its demolition began on December 4, 2009, hours after the Los Angeles City Council approved a large mixed-use development for the site. Demolition was completed in late January 2010.

Sadly, another one bites the dust.

South Pasadena Makes a "Modern Family" Cameo

The fictional "Cup N Cake" cafe seen on Wednesday night's episode of ABC's "Modern Family"? We're pretty sure it's actually the Kaldi coffeeshop in South Pasadena (close to the Mission Gold Line stop and the Thursday night Farmers' Market).

Why? Check out the building behind Gloria (Sofia Vergara) -- it appears to be the South Pasadena Library, as it's situated exactly where it is in real life opposite the coffeeshop.



It's hard to tell from these pics... anyone else watch last night and come to the same conclusion? (UPDATE: OK, you've all convinced me I'm right. Here's a pic of the real-life location below.)


(Flickr pic by Santa Barbarian.)

No More Day Trips to the Snow? Angeles Crest Highway Remains Closed

Driving up the Angeles Crest Highway (the 2) above La Canada-Flintridge to play in the snow has become an annual winter tradition for us (as we've written about many times, including here).

It's one of L.A.'s surprisingly best-kept secrets. Everyone knows you can head over to Big Bear for some fun in the snow. But fewer folks, for some reason, realize that snow can be found just 40 minutes or so north of us in the mountains.

Well, it may be all moot now. And the Station Fire, unfortunately, is to blame. With so much dead plant life and trees up there, it's a mess -- and a dangerous drive, especially given how curvy the highway is.

Now comes word, via the L.A. Times, that the Angeles Crest might not re-open at all until March:

The stretch from La Cañada Flintridge to Islip Saddle (at a junction with Highway 39) has been closed since Jan. 18 when heavy rains began that caused mudslides and washed away roads along the route in the Angeles National Forest.

Hillsides in that area were scorched by last year’s Station Fire, the largest blaze in Los Angeles County history, and the fire destroyed guard rails and signage and burned off road stripping. Officials said that the lack of vegetation on the hillsides was one factor that led to the washouts and severe road conditions... Officials said they hoped to reopen the road by late March.

Most of the snow will be melted by then, which completely ruins any chance of our usual quick ride to pay with the white stuff. It also means Baby Blogger 2.0 won't get his first taste of snow this year after all.

It's pretty depressing to realize that this is our new reality in the now-charred Angeles National Forest. And as bad as I feel, I'm thinking about how the folks behind Mt. Waterman -- the only skiing area up in that part of the woods -- and Newcomb's Ranch, the famed restaurant way up there, have got it much, much worse.

I gotta imagine Newcomb's has had to lay off most of its staff, as it hasn't had many chances to open following the fire. And Mt. Waterman posted this on Tuesday:

2-3-2010 - 2pm - Good Afternoon from Mt Waterman. We still have a solid 4-5 foot base, unfortunately we do not have a road to get to the Ski Area. Cal Trans snow blower is down at this time, they are trying to get a swap for a new blower. At this point we have no idea when we will get the road open. We just posted a couple of images from the road below. Keep checking with us as we will give you updates as we get them. Pray for Snow and a Road!

And here's a pic from the site that shows that not everything was burned. (And look at all that snow!):


(Pic by Craig Stewart)

Wednesday Poll: Will the NFL Ever Return to L.A.?

In honor of Super Bowl Sunday, we ask: Are you optimistic that an NFL team might finally be coming back to Los Angeles? Or do you even care at this point?

License Plate of the Day: Boston Accent Edition

Apparently this Boston Red Sox fan is "Wicked Smaaaht." So wicked smart, that they're not buying this whole "Pluto's not a planet" nonsense.

All together now: Did they park this caaaaah in Haaavaaahhhd Yaaaahhhd?

Chronicling L.A.'s Historic Newspapers: The Los Angeles Herald, Circa 1904

The Library of Congress and the National Endowment for the Humanities have been slowly posting images from 19th century and early 20th century defuct newspapers.

The site, Chronicling America, includes images of newspaper pages from 1880-1922 and information about American newspapers published between 1690 to the present day.

Included in the collection are numerous California papers, including the Los Angeles Herald -- which eventually through mergers became the Los Angeles Evening Herald and Express... which by 1962 merged with the Los Angeles Examiner to become the Los Angeles Herald-Examiner (R.I.P. 1989).

As the Los Angeles Herald, this paper existed from 1900 to 1911.