Retro Friday: Spooky TV Edition

Back when local TV stations still cared to do local programming besides news, virtually every TV station had a kids program. And virtually every independent TV station had a "creature feature" movie package hosted by someone dressed as some sort of ghoul. These shows are remembered fondly for their low-budget effects and cheesy humor.

In L.A., of course, KHJ had Elvira. Across the country, hosts in the 1980s also included "Sammy Terry" (Indianapolis), "Count Scary" (Detroit), "Darcinia" (Albuquerque). "Chilly Billy" (Pittsburgh) and "Crematia" (Kansas City). This clip package, from a 1985 episode of "TV's Bloopers and Practical Jokes," highlights some of those hosts of the past.

Here's another segment:



Of course, the original host from the early days of horror TV was Vampira -- Maila Nurmi, who just passed away last year. Here's the opening from the show in 1954:

Kogi vs. Octo-Mom vs. Balloon Boy: It's the Great Wilshire Pumpkin Competition

"Run Roja Run" by Wilshire Courtyard Security

Every year, the tenants of 5700 Wilshire and 5750 Wilshire -- collectively known as "Wilshire Courtyard" -- hold a pumpkin carving smackdown, as they search for the most creative Jack-O-Lantern of the year. Variety is no longer at 5700, but I decided to keep up tradition and check out this year's entries.

My favorite may be the above Kogi one. Sure, anyone across the country could do a John & Kate, Balloon Boy or Octomom pumpkin (see below). But for the sheer localness of it -- citing the ongoing police raids of the taco trucks parked on Wilshire in front of this very office park -- I gotta give it to the Wilshire Courtyard Security team. Bravo.

A few of the other highlights:


"OctoMom" by E! NN


"La Catrina Calavera" by Entravision (radio station group)


"Balloon Boy" by E! News Bureau news cam


"Jon and Kate Carve 8" by L.A. Business Journal


"Jurassic Pumkano" by Rebel Entetainment


"Swine Flu" by CEG Office Services




"The SS Stewie," by Fox's "Family Guy"


"The Pumpkin of Hazzard" by E! Entertainment TV

This year's competition appeared to elicit fewer entries than years past -- and several tenants, including Oprah Winfrey Network, apparently didn't join in. Here's how everyone participated in the past:

2008's contest

2007's contest

2006's contest

Cirque du Soleil Returns to Santa Monica With "Kooza"

It's been 13 years since I attended a Cirque du Soleil show, having seen "Mystere" at Las Vegas' Treasure Island hotel in 1996.

A lot has happened to the Cirque du Soleil since then. For one thing, the franchise now boasts a whopping six shows in Vegas, including the acclaimed "O" at Bellagio to more recent openings like the Beatles-oriented "Love." And Mystere is still there too.

Cirque, founded in Quebec City in 1984, has several more touring shows traveling across the globe, as well as permanent shows in other cities and territories.

But Los Angeles is where Cirque du Soleil made its U.S. debut in 1987 (at the Los Angeles Festival), and it's in nearby Santa Monica where its traveling shows frequently set up the big tent. The latest Cirque show to hit Southern California, "Kooza," is currently wowing crowds under the blue-and-yellow big top next to the Santa Monica Pier.

"Kooza," which made its debut in Montreal in 2007, is billed as a return in some ways to the Cirque's roots. The show mixes acrobatics and clowns -- perhaps making "Kooza" one of Cirque du Soleil's more traditional shows.

But no Cirque show is truly "traditional." We were invited to catch "Kooza" on Sunday night (we took it as an opportunity to celebrate our anniversary), and were pretty much wowed, as you'd expect. There are a few weak points -- a few acts that perhaps pale only because of the awesomeness of the contortionists, among others, are a hard act to follow; and a few jokes that fall flat (playing guys kissing guys for laughs -- in 2009?) -- but the overall show evokes plenty of awe and more than a few nail-biting moments.



Edge-of-your-seat moments come courtesy the two-level tightrope, as the performers attempt an ever-increasing level of death-defying feats high above the ground (above).



Then there's the aptly named "Wheel of Death" -- a unique contraption that, in unskilled hands, would quickly live up to its name. In the hands of Cirque's "Kooza" artists, the wheel elicits plenty of gasps from the audience.

I'm a pretty jaded guy, and it takes quite a bit to impress me. The athletes and artists in "Kooza" impress me. The fact that these people do this every day, in venues around the world, is all the more amazing.

Cirque du Soleil's "Kooza" continues in Santa Monica through Nov. 29; after that, it heads to Orange County.

Picture credits: OSA Images; used with permission

A Decade at Variety

I marked two anniversaries this week -- my 7th wedding anni with Maria, and also my 10-year mark with Variety.

That means a decade worth of "ankle," "prexy," "veep," "skein," "Alphabet net," "Peacock web," "helmer," "scribe," "nom" and other Variety speak -- what we call "Slanguage" at the paper (read all about it here).

At least once a week I get an irate email from a web reader far from Hollywood, angry at my use of the Variety slanguage. But it's part of the paper's heritage, and although it took some time to get used to a decade ago, I appreciate it now. Check out the clip above, from the 1990s animated series "Animaniacs," for an ode to that "Variety speak."

So what did I cover on day one at Variety? An angry Chris Carter, whose series "Harsh Realm" had just been canceled by Fox. The "X-Files" creator had some harsh words to say about the network and its then-entertainment president, Doug Herzog. (You can see that story here.) Also that day, I wrote about ABC picking up a full season of the David E. Kelley drama "Snoops." The show was averaging a 4.6 rating among adults 18-49 -- a pretty unexciting rating in 1999. In 2009, that would have made "Snoops" a megahit. Instead, the show was gone by the end of the TV season.

I also joined Variety just as "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" was starting its November sweeps run, following a strong launch that summer. Little did we know that a decade-long reality TV explosion was about to take place. Also in 1999, original cable series were still few and far between (save a handful, including the about-to-be launched "Sopranos," on HBO). DVRs weren't in homes. Video on computers was still rare -- and the idea of watching TV shows on your computer still a far-fetched idea. Yep, a lot has changed. But I'd also venture to say there's more great, not just good, TV in 2009. And more ways to watch it. That can't be a bad thing.

KROQ Now Heard in San Diego; New York To Come?

New York radio somehow missed the whole "alternative music" wave in the 1980s and 1990s. On the West Coast, we have KROQ here in Los Angeles, 91X in San Diego and Live 105 in San Francisco... New York, meanwhile, has tried and failed several times over the years to maintain an alt rocker. (Long Island's WLIR/WDRE came closest to a heritage for the market, but barely reached Manhattan. And it's now long gone.)

At several points, the onetime Howard Stern outfit WXRK ("K-Rock") flirted with modern rock, but would always revert back to more mainstream, "active rock." Finally, the station flipped to top 40. New York, meanwhile, has for years been one of the few major markets without an alternative, or "modern," rock station.

CBS Radio may soon solve that problem, sort of, by piping L.A.'s KROQ on to the HD subchannel of one of its New York stations. (It already broadcasts KROQ on a subchannel in San Diego.) Radio Insight has the details:

CBS Radio has begun simulcasting a number of stations from other markets on its HD subchannels. In Los Angeles, Country 95.1 KFRG Riverside is now available on 94.7 KTWV-HD3 and Hot AC “Sophie 103.7″ KSCF San Diego is heard on 97.1 KAMP-HD2.

Ot looks as though CBS plans on more out-of-market HD simulcasts. Los Angeles’ 106.7 KROQ is now on in San Diego on 103.7 KSCF-HD2 and could soon be heading to New York based on the registration of kroqnyc.com.

I kinda like the idea of being able to hear popular out-of-market radio stations -- it beats the computerized, automated jukeboxes that most stations currently broadcast on their HD subchannels.

Not many folks own an HD radio, so this experimentation won't have much of an effect. And CBS Radio's moves have already raised the ire of independent radio station owner Saul Levine, who believes the company is illegally expanding the reach of out-of-market stations.

Order Your Great Los Angeles Walk T-Shirt Now!

Time to order your GREAT LOS ANGELES WALK shirt! Like last year, we're going through Cafe Press for the shirts. And like last year, we're not making a dime. The price you pay is the price that Cafe Press charges.

Shirts, of course, aren't necessary for the walk. But show your Great Los Angeles Walk pride! Go to www.cafepress.com/franklinavenue to order!

Looking at L.A.'s Fast Food Moratorium -- And Its Gourmet Food Truck Explosion

KCET's SoCal Connected is chronicling the latest Los Angeles food trends on this week's show.

Episode, which airs Thursday night at 8 p.m., looks first at whether the City Council's moratorium on new fast food joints has had a positive impact. The results appear to be mixed:

SoCal Connected goes behind the front lines in America’s battle over how to get Americans eating healthier in the story “Food Wars.” Correspondent Angie Crouch heads to South Los Angeles , where a City Council moratorium has kept a freeze on new fast food restaurants for over a year.

South LA—an area plagued by poverty and a shortage of medical services—claims the highest rates of obesity and diabetes in Los Angeles County . But has the fast-food moratorium made a difference in the lives of residents? And how much can—or should—government regulate people’s eating habits?

The program then hits some of L.A.'s fast-growing food trucks:

In “Moveable Feast,” Anchor Val Zavala samples the food from a number of gourmet food trucks, talking to ambitious entrepreneurs eager to turn a profit. Zavala also discusses the surge in food trucks with "bricks-and-mortar" restaurant owners upset by estimates of a 30-40% decline in their businesses when the trucks roll in.

The newsmag, dubbed Los Angeles Magazine’s “Best New Local TV Program” of 2009, airs Thursdays at 8 p.m., Fridays at 8:30, Saturdays at 6 p.m. and Sundays at 6:30 p.m. on KCET.

Jay Leno Does KNBC No Favors

As NBC stuggles at 10 p.m. with "The Jay Leno Show," NBC stations across the country are watching their 11 p.m. newscasts take a dip in the ratings as well. Los Angeles' KNBC is no exception: The station's 11 p.m. newscast is down 26% vs. last year so far this fall in the key adults 25-54 demographic.

Of course, Jay can't be completely to blame -- especially because KNBC is down a less stunning 5% at 10 p.m. compared to last year. But it doesn't help. I've got more details at Variety:

KABC continues to lead the 11 p.m. race among adults 25-54 -- the demo of choice for advertisers on newscasts. But through last Friday, the station's weekday late news is down 14% from last year (1.9, from 2.2).

The real drop, however, is at KNBC, which has slumped 26% year to year, posting a 1.4 rating vs. a 1.9 last year. The Peacock-owned station has likely been hit hard by "Leno's" low ratings. (KNBC, though, is down a relatively tame 5% at 10 p.m. in the 25-54 demo.)

KNBC also went through a major anchor shift earlier this year as longtime Channel 4 presence Paul Moyer exited.

Only station posting a gain at 11 p.m. is KCBS, which is averaging a 1.2 rating in the demo -- up 20% from last year's 1.0. Station may be helped by CBS' strong 10 p.m. performers and has also unleashed a major marketing campaign for its newscast rebrand.

The End of Local TV News As We Know It?

Once a local mainstay, former KTTV (and before that, KNBC) anchor John Beard decided earlier this year to leave the No. 2 market and take a job in Buffalo, N.Y. His departure is indicative of the state of local TV news, circa 2009. Long criticized by news purists, local TV news has now been smacked by even bigger problems -- including draconian budget cuts and shrinking personnel.

Here's an excerpt from my story:

As a top anchor in Los Angeles, John Beard worked during the heyday of local TV news -- covering earthquakes, riots and the occasional celebrity on the loose.
Beard was a familiar presence on L.A. TV screens for 30 years, via lead anchor roles on KNBC and then KTTV. But three decades after arriving on the West Coast from Buffalo, Beard is back where he started, anchoring a morning newscast in that small western New York community.

Beard had a great run in the nation's No. 2 market -- but his exit is indicative of how local TV news is changing across the country.

If you think local TV news is irrelevant and has long sacrificed real news coverage for flash and trash, just wait until stations have no money to even pretend they're covering the important stuff.

Despite their obligations as inhabitants of the public airwaves, cash-strapped stations may find it even more difficult to properly inform the public.

Once upon a time, local TV stations were a license to print money -- and were frequently the most profitable link in a media conglom's portfolio.

Those stations' newscasts were a great business (and continue to generate nearly half a station's revenue) -- even if news purists scoffed at the medium's time-consuming "happy talk" and focus on sensational crimes and inane human-interest stories.

But stations don't generate the kind of major profits they once did. And as the biggest expense at most TV outlets, news operations are feeling the pain.

The once-proud operations are slashing costs and, in the process, downsizing news coverage and dumping highly paid and experienced talent.

Read the rest here.

FRANKLIN AVENUE CONTEST: L.A. Phil This Friday

No Halloween party on Friday night? How about a little class for your evening... we've got a pair of tickets to see Christoph Eschenbach conduct the LA Philharmonic in Dvorák on Friday night, Oct. 30.

Details:

LA Phil Presents Eschenbach Conducts Dvorák – Oct 29-Nov 1 at Walt Disney Concert Hall

Featured Artists:
Los Angeles Philharmonic
Christoph Eschenbach, conductor
Christian Tetzlaff, violin

Progam:
DVOŘÁK Carnival Overture
SZYMANOWSKI Violin Concerto No. 1
DVOŘÁK Symphony No. 9, “From the New World”

A fresh take on the beloved “New World” Symphony follows the bizarre dream-like imagery and sensuality of Szymanowski’s
First Violin Concerto.

Email us at franklin_avenue(at)yahoo(dot)com -- we'll pick the winner at random. Good luck!

Lucky Seven

Above, Oct. 26, 2002, at Union Station's old Fred Harvey restaurant space. Seven years and two kids later, still going strong!

It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like the Holidays

Get ready to freak out: The holidays are hurtling right toward us, and there's nothing we can do about it.

Halloween? THIS WEEK. Thanksgiving? ONE MONTH FROM NOW. Christmas? LESS THAN TWO MONTHS AWAY.

You may now hyperventilate.

The realization smacked us on Saturday, as we drove from the Los Angeles Zoo (where we had a nice afternoon, watching the animals and taking in the Halloween-themed displays) back to Los Feliz Blvd. As we drove down the road past the golf course, we noticed that displays for the Department of Water and Power's Holiday Light Festival were already going up in Griffith Park.

That's right -- Halloween isn't until Friday, but the DWP and Griffith Park are already prepping for Christmas.

Even earlier than that, the coffee chains began rolling out their annual Pumpkin flavors; I also picked up my first holiday-themed CoffeeMate flavor (Gingerbread, for the record) this weekend.

Memo To The Mayor: We're Not In Los Angeles Anymore

OK, I get it, Mayor V is using the generic version of "L.A." to describe the region, not just the city limits:

I'm at the U2/Black Eye Peas concert with Lu and the world is watching. I love L.A. :)

But c'mon. Fine, attend the U2 concert (along with them "Black Eye Peas") -- but the Rose Bowl is in Pasadena. I'm pretty sure the mayor knows that. So tossing in a "I love L.A." while not really enjoying an event in L.A. seems kinda wrong -- at least for the mayor of Los Angeles.

BTW, this very well may have been the Mayor's first Tweet to mention Lu Parker (the KTLA reporter who he's now dating). I went back almost three months, and never saw her mentioned before Sunday night. Hmm, a sign of bigger things to come?

Sublime Smackdown

The estate of Bradley Nowell, the late singer of Sublime -- the band that so epitomized the early 1990s laid-back Long Beach/O.C. music vibe -- is taking action against the surviving members of the band, who recently announced plans to resume performing under the band name.

Here's the Nowell family statement:

LOS ANGELES (October 23, 2009) - The Estate of Bradley Nowell, Sublime's late singer, guitarist and primary songwriter, issued a statement today regarding the use of the band's name by Sublime bassist Eric Wilson and Sublime drummer Floyd "Bud" Gaugh.

Sublime members Floyd "Bud" Gaugh and Eric Wilson, along with new vocalist Rome Ramirez, who performed with Gaugh and Wilson earlier this year, are scheduled to perform under the name "Sublime" on Saturday, October 24th at Cypress Hill's 2009 Smokeout Festival. Sublime, with its original members, has not played together since their final performance with Nowell on May 24, 1996. The advertising and promotion of the new group as "Sublime" has been done without the consent of the Estate of the late Bradley Nowell (consisting of widow Troy Nowell, father Jim "Papa" Nowell, and son Jakob Nowell). The Estate intends to take appropriate legal action to protect Brad’s intentions, as well as the legacy and integrity of his body of work.

Nowell's family released the following statement on the band's official Web site today:

"It was recently announced that Sublime bassist Eric Wilson and Sublime drummer Floyd 'Bud' Gaugh are 'reuniting' and teaming with singer and guitarist Rome Ramirez in a band they intend to call 'Sublime.' Prior to his untimely passing, both Bud and Eric acknowledged that Brad Nowell was the sole owner of the name Sublime. It was Brad's expressed intention that no one use the name Sublime in any group that did not include him, and Brad even registered the trademark 'Sublime' under his own name.

As Brad's heirs, and with the support of his entire family, we only want to respect his wishes and therefore have not consented to Bud and Eric calling their new project 'Sublime.' We have always supported Bud and Eric's musical endeavors and their desire to continue to play Sublime's music. We wholeheartedly supported Bud, Eric and the many talented members of the Sublime posse that formed the Long Beach Dub All-Stars, soon after Brad's death, to honor him through their original recordings, live performances and Sublime music until they disbanded in 2001. But, out of respect for Brad's wishes, we have always refused to endorse any group performing as 'Sublime,' and now with great reluctance feel compelled to take the appropriate legal action to protect Brad's legacy.

Our hope is that Brad's ex-bandmates will respect his wishes and find a new name to perform under, so as to enhance the 'Sublime' legacy without the confusion and disappointment that many fans have expressed upon seeing the announcement.

Peace and Love to all,

Troy, Jakob & Jim 'Papa' Nowell."

Sublime is still a core artist on Los Angeles' KROQ, even 13 years after Nowell's death.

Retro Friday: RIP Soupy Sales

Above, Soupy Sales' staff play a practical joke on the host, in honor of his birthday.



Soupy parodies car salesman Cal Worthington.

ONE MONTH FROM TODAY: The Great Los Angeles Walk 4

Believe it or not, we're now just a month out from the annual Great Los Angeles Walk -- our annual urban hike from downtown Los Angeles to the ocean. The walk takes place on SATURDAY, NOV. 21, 2009



MEET AT 9 A.M. ON THE SIDE OF THE SHRINE AUDITORIUM -- on JEFFERSON, ACROSS THE STREET FROM USC PARKING LOT D (where you can park all day for just $8).

In 2006, we hiked down Wilshire. In 2007, it was Pico. And in 2008, we started at Sunset before walking the entire length of Santa Monica Blvd.

This year, we're heading south -- and once again diving into the history of Los Angeles. This year, we hit the ex-presidents: Washington and Adams.

The route will take us past some of L.A.'s most beautiful historic places -- such as the Automobile Club of Southern California headquarters, the Golden State Mutual Life headquarters, St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Roman Catholic church and much more. There's even Ray Charles' old recording studio.

And then there's the collection of historic homes. Wikipedia writes:

The West Adams area was developed between 1880 and 1925, and contains many diverse architectural styles of the era. Architectural styles seen in West Adams include the Queen Anne, Shingle, Gothic Revival, Transitional Arts and Crafts, American Craftsman/Ultimate Bungalow, Craftsman Bungalow, Colonial Revival, Renaissance Revival, Mediterranean Revival, Spanish Colonial Revival, Mission Revival, Egyptian Revival, Beaux-Arts and Neoclassical styles. West Adams boasts the only Greene and Greene house in Los Angeles. Its historic homes are frequently used as locations for movies and TV shows including CSI, Six Feet Under, The Shield, Monk, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind and Of Mice and Men.

We're working with several organizations in putting together a guide for us to walk and enjoy the architecture -- and also help figure out the best route.

We'll be walking a mix of Adams and Washington -- until we get to Culver City, where we'll have lunch and then exclusively hike the rest of Washington Blvd. all the way to Venice Beach.

As usual, we'll celebrate afterward at a location to be named later. If you'd like to host the post-walk event, or at least help organize it, please contact us at our franklin_avenue(at)yahoo(dot)com email address.

For those of you new to our annual event, it's quite simple: We walk. No agenda, no cause, no special reason -- just for love of Los Angeles. It's the Saturday before Thanksgiving, which means you can work off some pounds in preparation for the following Thursday's pigout. And this year's walk promises to be shorter than last year's longer hike -- so no complaints! (People run 26-mile marathons in a few hours all the time; you can easily walk 14 miles over the course of eight hours, with plenty of stops along the way.)

Anyone can join in... just email us at greatlawalk@mail.com.

And keep checking out the official Great Los Angeles Walk website -- GreatLAWalk.com -- for more details! We'll see you on Nov. 21.



Above, a YouTube video taken by a participant from last year's GREAT LOS ANGELES WALK -- SANTA MONICA.

What Could Have Been: The Metro Library's Collection of Proposed Rapid Transit Routes

The Metro Library and Archive has posted a host of old maps detailing proposed -- and ultimately, failed -- Southern California rapid transit plans to its Scribd account. The maps are fascinating -- and to a degree, heartbreaking.

After all, had the money been raised and construction actually taken place, we would have had a subway or train to the sea decades ago -- and at the fraction of the cost it would take now.

Above, the 1968 Final Proposed Transit Master Plan Concept. According to the Metro Library, "The initial 62-mile, four corridor system that could expand to 300 miles was projected to cost $2.5 billion during its 8.5-year construction period." (Yes, 8.5 years -- which means it could have been completely done by the dawn of the Carter administration.)



Here, the 1974 Proposed Transit Master Plan Concept. "The initial 116 miles of mass rapid transit would eventually expand to a 250-mile system with 24 miles of dedicated busway lanes. The projected cost was $6.6 billion over a 12-year construction period." This could have been done by the mid-1980s.

Of course, opposition got in the way of these proposals -- and as a result, we're still debating the possibility in 2009 of a "subway to the sea" -- which wouldn't even be real until 2020 at the earliest.
And that's optimistic. As the L.A. Times today notes, it's unlikely Metro will be able to secure funds anytime soon for such a massive project:

(Mayor Antonio) Villaraigosa has been pushing to have the subway completed in 10 years, more than 15 years earlier than current estimates.

At his urging, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority board agreed to submit the subway expansion, as well as a plan to build a light-rail link through downtown, as the county’s two projects to compete against a national pool of federal funding.

But the 14 members of Congress who signed a letter released today said those two programs don’t have a good shot at immediately getting federal funding. Further, they said that L.A. County risks not get anything from the federal New Starts program unless it adds other regional rail proposals, including an extension of the Gold Line in the San Gabriel Valley and a rail line down Crenshaw Boulevard in South L.A. and the South Bay.

For a quick but very informative primer on L.A.'s mass transit systems in the post-war era, check out the study "New Mass Transit Plans: Los Angeles 1951- Present," written by the Metro Research Center/Dorothy Peyton Gray Transportation Library's Mattew Barrett, found here.

Los Angeles and "Mad Men"

As we've noted in the past, the location managers on "Mad Men" manage to find unique ways to turn Los Angeles into New York -- or, in this case, Rome. You may have noticed in a recent episode of the show that the "Rome Hilton" looked somewhat familiar.

That's because the show shot those scenes in the lobby of the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. Opened in 1964 (perfect for that "Mad Men"-era look), the lobby's gold-hued pillars and mirrored walls must have given that Europe-in-the-60s vibe for producers.

Your Daily Thread Steps Into the Great Eastside/Fake Eastside Debate

When I wrote about eco-friendly site Your Daily Thread's "Eastside Green Guide," I tweaked them for referring to the Los Feliz/Silver Lake/Echo Park/Atwater Village areas as the "Eastside."

As you know, purists point out that the "Eastside" is East of the river -- something that those neighborhoods aren't. I've taken to call those 'hoods the "Fake Eastside."

Your Daily Thread caught quite a bit of grief, however, and has now renamed the Guide. Check out the "Neighborhood Guide" to Atwater Village, Echo Park, Los Feliz and Silver Lake here.

Help Secure a Historic Cultural Monument Nomination for the Century Plaza Hotel

It's time to spring into action to help support the efforts to save the Century Plaza Hotel.

Named one of National Trust for Historic Preservation's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places, the 1960s-era Century Plaza is in danger of being torn down. The new owners of the Century Plaza Hotel announced plans to raze the building and replace it with two 600-foot towers in December 2008, even though the hotel received a $36 million facelift less than a year ago.

The LA Conservancy is asking for support (details here) in convincing the City Council to nominate the Century Plaza as a Historic-Cultural Monument. Details:

On Wednesday, October 21, the Los Angeles City Council will vote on Councilmember Paul Koretz' motion to initiate a Historic-Cultural Monument (HCM) nomination for the the Century Plaza Hotel. While it would seem obvious that the hotel should be nominated, the passage of the motion is not a sure thing.

We need as many L.A. residents as possible to e-mail your councilmember by Tuesday, October 20 to urge their support of the motion. The City Council needs to know that the Century Plaza is important to the entire city, not just Council District 5.

Out of nearly 1,000 HCMs in Los Angeles, fewer than twenty are from the 1960s. Councilmember Koretz has taken the lead in securing landmark status for the Century Plaza, but we need your help to make it happen!

If you live in the City of Los Angeles, please take a minute to e-mail your councilmember with a copy to the Conservancy (savecenturyplaza@laconservancy.org). Please (1) urge your councilmember to support the motion on Tuesday and (2) remind him/her that the City of Los Angeles has no minimum age requirement for buildings to merit HCM designation.

If you wrote a Century Plaza support letter to the Planning Department in August, you can simply forward that letter to your councilmember if it's more convenient, adding the points above. The note doesn't need to be long.

Go here to figure out how to contact your city council member. And get to it today!

L.A. Love Bazaar

Having missed the first three events, I finally was able to stop by the 4th Annual Los Angeles Archives Bazaar at USC this weekend.



It's no secret I'm obsessed with L.A. history -- as my growing collection of books about our city attests. But sad to say, I wasn't able to stay long enough to attend the panels or documentary screenings -- so as a result, was a tad underwhelmed by the bazaar's proceedings.



I strolled from booth to booth in the three rooms that featured countless Southern California historical, preservation and heritage organizations. Yet didn't really see much I hadn't seen before. I did pick up an old book for $5, as well as pamphlets and handouts from several groups.



Don't get me wrong, it was a well-done event, and several of the panels -- particularly "From Noir to the News at Ten: Writing Los Angeles" -- sounded great. But since I only had the time to check out the booths, I noticed that most organizations focused on their own operations, leaving little room for actual historical documents and other things to gawk at.



One of the exceptions was the booth operated by Wally G. Shidler, who calls his collection "Southern California Ephemera: A Collection of Pamphlets, Folders, Maps, Broadsides, Books, Etc. Relating to the Development of Los Angeles City and County and Adjacent Areas." Shidler had a nice collection of classic Red Car and Yellow Car timetables to look at, as well as early 20th century flyers promoting communities like Glendale.



Shidler says his interest in L.A. history was piqued in 1953 when he was handed a copy of "La Reina," the booklet about L.A. history first published by the Security Trust and Savings Bank of Los Angeles. (Shidler's collection runs the gamut, from the 19th century up to today.)

Coincidence or not, I recently bought a copy of "La Reina" off eBay.



Organizations participating included the L.A. City Archives, the L.A. Public Library, the Orange County Archives, USC Libraries Special Collections, the UCLA Film & TV Library, the Glendale Public Library, the Pasadena Museum of History, and many, many more.

Like I said, a fine event... but to get the most out of the $8 fee, I needed to do more than just check out the booths. Maybe next year.

License Plate of the Day: Superman Edition

Thanks to Joe for this one. It's a bird, it's a plane, it's... a California vanity plate!

Retro Friday: Then-Gov. Jerry Brown Addresses Prop. 13

Ahh, Prop. 13. Great for the folks back then. Not so much for our generation. Those of us who bought homes this decade pay extraordinarily more in property taxes than people with much bigger homes and lot sizes -- but who were old enough to be able to buy their land years earlier.

Here's audio from then-Gov. Jerry Brown, soon after Prop. 13 passed in 1978, discussing the fiscal belt-tightening that would now have to take place in California.

"Brothers & Sisters" Has a Geography Problem

The Daily Beast's Kate Aurthur has a big bone to pick with ABC's Sunday night drama "Brothers & Sisters."

The show is set in both Los Angeles and Santa Barbara -- and Kate is bothered by the ease the characters travel between both cities, as if they're down the block from each other. She writes:

Increasingly, to anyone who lives in Southern California, or has, like, heard of Southern California, it has also become a bizarre geographic mystery requiring a suspension of disbelief that would torment even Dan Brown fans.

The majority of the Walker family, led by matriarch Nora (Sally Field), lives in Pasadena and Los Angeles, which are very near each other, if not essentially considered to be the same city. So fine, great, they all see each other all the time—that makes sense.

Then there is the married couple, Kitty (Calista Flockhart) and Robert (Rob Lowe)—she an author, he a senator who is running for governor of California—who explicitly and clearly live in Santa Barbara. Yet Brothers & Sisters acts as if the two regions are mere seconds away from each other. Robert’s senatorial office is in downtown Los Angeles; Kitty is constantly stopping by her mother’s house. It is maddening.

In one recent episode, Aurthur notes that the characters traveled back and forth between Pasadena and Santa Barbara several times in one night.

Google Maps clocks the trip between Pasadena and Santa Barbara at 103 miles -- or one hour and 41 minutes.

So what's the deal? Kate got the unsatisfying answer from ABC: “They exist in a world without traffic… and Robert has a helicopter at his disposal.”

A Taste of Italy in Downtown L.A.

One of our favorite L.A. attractions, downtown's San Antonio Winery, celebrates its final "Food and Wine Festival" of the year with a Taste of Italy. Event takes place this Sunday from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the winery (737 Lamar Street in downtown Los Angeles).

Here's the menu:

Piedmont: Foccacia al formaggio with grana cheese, smoked mozzarella, olives and herbs; Wine: Renzo Castella, Dolcetto d’Alba 2007

Veneto: Grilled radicchio salad with mushrooms, pancetta and balsamic roasted garlic dressing; Wine: Ruggeri, Prosecco Gold Label

Umbria: Antipasto of Umbrian smoked dried meats, mushrooms, cipolline, artichoke hearts and olives; Wine: Armaldo Caprai, Grecante 2007

Lombardia: La Michetta Milanesa, traditional Alpine mini sandwiches with salami, prosciutto cotto, Fontina and pepperoncini; Wine: La Montecchia, Godimondo Cabernet Franc, 2007

Liguria : Grilled seafood pescatore kebabs – sea bass, eggplant, tomatoes and bell peppers with Maddalena’s special basil lemon dipping sauce; Wine: Luzano Verdicchio de Castello di Jesi, 2008

Alto-Adige: Grilled polenta with Porcini mushrooms; Wine: La Boatina Pinot Grigio, 2008

Emiglia Romagna: Beef ragu a la Bolognese, parmeggiano cheese, pane rustico al aglio; Wine: San Antonio , Boutique Lambruscio

Toscana: Pizza Florentina with fresh tomatoes, mozzarella, prosciutto, basil and olives; Wine: Fattoria di Petroio, Chianti Classico, 2007

Sardinia : Stefano’s naturally raised lamb kebabs with spicy rosemary-lemon olive sauce; Wine: San Felice , Il Grigio, Chianti Classico, 2007

Sicily : Chicken Marsala with sautéed mushrooms and Marsala wine sauce; Wine: Capanna, Rosso di Moltalcino, 2006

Tix are $50. More info here: (323) 330- 8771. The cost of the event is $50.00 per person.

Ich Bin Ein Miracle Miler

To commemorate the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, eight segments will be installed along Wilshire Blvd. in front of the Variety Building (5900 Wilshire).

The installation will remain in front of the building until Nov. 14. Some info:

The eight wall segments of reinforced concrete will be installed by professional workers on the lawn area in front of 5900 Wilshire along Wilshire Blvd. The segments, which are each 12 ft. tall and 3.9 ft. wide, will face the Los Angeles County Museum of Art directly across the street.

The eight original Berlin Wall segments were recently acquired by the Wende Museum in Culver City for its permanent collection. Two additional wall segments will be installed in front of 5900 Wilshire on Nov. 3, which will make it the longest stretch of the Berlin Wall outside of Berlin, Germany.

As long as the wall doesn't keep us away from the lunchtime food trucks. If that does happen, expect several of us to take to the streets and proclaim, "Mr. 5900 Wilshire, tear down this wall!"

For Its New Look, KTLA Goes Back to the Future

(Twitpic by Micah Ohlman.)

KTLA -- which recently made over its lead anchor team, with Micah Ohlman and Victoria Recaño taking over the 10 p.m. and newly expanded 6 p.m. newscasts -- unveils its set makeover tomorrow.

The station is touting the new set as very modern and "state of the art," but one element is actually a throwback to the 1980s and early 1990s -- KTLA's new news logo.

Check out the new logo on the set above -- KTLA has brought back the old arty "5" that identified the station for many years. As a matter of fact, that "5" can still be seen on the old tower in front of KTLA's Hollywood studios; it was never taken down, even after the logo changed. Now it's suddenly relevant again!

Here's the KTLA logo from the 1980s and early 1990s:



And this was the KTLA logo in the late 1990s. You might have noticed that the new, 2009 logo utilizes this one's practice of bolding the "LA" portion of "KTLA," presumably to emphasize the station's Los Angeles home:



In the early part of the 2000s, KTLA decided to stop referencing its channel position -- something that bothered me to no end. KTLA is found on channel 5 both over-the-air and on most cable systems -- and that's a huge marketing benefit that cable networks, which appear on a jumble of channel positions depending on the provider, can't match.

This was also the moment that KTLA first introduced the station "whoosh" -- which looked suspiciously like the Nike logo.



KTLA finally realized the error of its channel position-dropping ways by 2007, particularly after someone likely realized that the new CW logo looked bad parked right next to the KTLA logo. The reintroduction of the "5" helped separate the two:



And now, a nod to the past as KTLA unveils its new look on Wednesday. "A little nostalgia to go with our re-launching," KTLA Prime News exec producer Elizabeth Applegate tweeted on Tuesday. "A little old and little new, debuting Wednesday night!"