Mushrooms and Bugs
Wonderful Christopher sent along two artsy-links today that I’d like to share. The first is this L.A. Times story on a unique photography project which was a collaboration between film location scouts and disadvantaged high school students. The resulting shots of the abandoned Ambassador Hotel are eerie, especially a lovely pic of mushrooms growing out of carpeting. The other is a New York Times article on a museum exhibit of models, drawings and other pieces from — synergy alert — Pixar films. Oh, how I would love to be in NYC to catch that one.
December 17th, 2005 at 7:32 pm
Not to be morbid, but the Ambassador Hotel is where Robert Kennedy was gunned down. Many proponents of saving The Ambassador wanted to save it for that specific reason…others strictly for architectural reasons.
There’s also still a huge contingent of folks who are trying to rescue the many, many feral cats that made The Ambassador their home.
The last time I saw the Ambassador was back in August when I visited a friend in a hospital across the street. What remained of the hotel was just a big ugly clump of grey concrete and fencing and lots of dirt.
Since that plot of land also once contained the glitzy Cocoanut Grove nightclub, it was quite a little happening area back in the glory days of Hollywood. There are quite a few websites that have now-and-then photos of the hotel and Grove.
thanks for the article link
Kurt
Long Beach, CA
December 17th, 2005 at 11:18 pm
I hate that LA has such a penchant for tearing down its history. Places like the Ambassador, the Brown Derby–places where you could go and imagine What It Was Like, when Marilyn and Frank and Bette and Joan partied.
As soon as I am done with grad school, I plan to get involved with LAModern Conservancy. Its a crying shame that architectural and social treasures are torn down, just to make room for condos and the like.
December 18th, 2005 at 9:17 am
Libby: You go girl!
Matt and I have made many pilgramages to the LA area to see such icons before they are/were destroyed: Perino’s, the Ambassador Hotel, Bullock’s Wilshire (where, a little before it closed, I had a wonderful lunch in that little famous restaurant upstairs), Roosevelt Hotel, Musso & Franks, Larry Edmund’s bookstore, Schwab’s, the Hollyhock House, Ramon Novarro’s house, Joan Crawford’s House, Jack Benny’s house, the Polo Lounge, and so many more.
I wish I understood why I felt such a connection to these buildings, these places that really had no direct relationship to my life. But I do, and I miss them as they get torn down and disappear into the memories and the books of history. It is really sad.
The same is true for great old buildings in Phoenix (which few are left), or anywhere around the country. I guess this is one reason we live in a historic district in a 1927 home: an obligation to preserve part of history.
December 20th, 2005 at 10:37 am
I thought the link would show the pictures… I would LOVE to see them. Any idea if they will ever be online anywhere? I doubt I’ll be able to hop over from Ohio to see the exhibit…
December 20th, 2005 at 4:23 pm
Nancy: There is a little Photo Gallery slideshow link to the right of the article title. That is the only source of pix that I know of right now.
December 20th, 2005 at 8:01 pm
Christopher, I totally understand–I feel that connection too–and like you, I didnt even grow up here. I’ve been to Musso and Franks, the Polo Lounge, and the Roosevelt–wonderful places all of them. Like you have done, I would love to buy a historic home–even if its just from the 50s. I like to think of all the people who have lived there, laughed and cried there–I dont want a soulless tract mansion.
Unfortunately there seem to be a LOT of people in LA that just tear everything down and appreciate absolutely nothing from the past (like the criminal act of destroying the Maslon house in Palm Springs). Its different on the East coast–everyone is all about saving old places.