Category: Petra

Actually, I dont’ know. But one thing I do know: I wish I could be a student here:

Even though I am long past the age of attending high school, I occasionally drive out to South Pasadena just to look at this amazing example of a school evolving through time into what it is today – an architectural monument and a testament to the good sense to keep what is beautiful and impressive. In short, a piece of the past for present and future generations.

South Pasadena High School was build in 1906, with Art Deco additions in the 1920s, bungalows in the 1940s and tilt-up concrete buildings in the 1970s. In 2002 NTDStichler (Architects) finished the project of renovating and restoring the complex, while putting in some additions in perfect keeping with the Art Deco Style.

Yes, it is a place where I would gladly go to school every day. With my mindset of today… it might be different if I were really of high school age.

A stroll through Chinatown is always quite an experience. Even though it is a tourist destination, the overwhelming majority of people one sees are Chinese. The babble of voices around one is Chinese. All shops sport Chinese lettering, although the larger ones also give at least their names in English too. Not all of them, mind you, but one does try to accommodate the “round eyes”.

This is Chinatown, quite obviously.

However, when one walks down the crowded main street of the quarter, suddenly one sees this strange sight:

An Italian Restaurant? In Chinatown? Yes. Of course. Because what is Chinatown today was until approximately 1920-1930 the largest Italian community in Los Angeles. The former Chinatown was located in the area where today Union Station stands.

When the plans for building Union Station were drawn up, the decision was made to relocate the old Chinatown by about a mile, adjacent to the Italian quarter. The good Italians took a close look at their new neighbors and fled. Herbs, ginger and spaghetti did not mix well in their opinion. The main thrust of the evacuating Italians was in the direction of Lincoln Heights, but one would be hard pressed to make out any significantly Italian area in Los Angeles today. The Italians by that time and a bit later were so much assimilated into the American culture that they did not need a quarter of their own any longer and dispersed themselves all over Los Angeles.

The only “relic” of that time was Little Joe’s. Yes, sadly, was – the restaurant had to close down in 1998, due to the fact that the structure was not retrofitted to withstand earthquakes. The building is still there, as is the sign; the location is available for filming today.

The city has toyed around with plans to use the building – after retrofitting – as yet another store location for Chinatown. Which brings up the interesting question: How does one write “Little Joe’s” in Chinese characters?

Does it seem a bit ironic that I had to come to Southern California to see my first live hockey game? Not really, that’s just one of those things which make life so interesting.

So it was off to the Staples Center, located downtown. I like having sports arenas smack in the city, much more convenient than having to trek out into the hinterland. Nicely bundled up to ward off the cold (hey, this is ice hockey, remember) I was looking forward to the events to come.

Things started off with a light show

and after a while the actual game started:

Quite fascinating, lots of fun and action. However, after a while my mind started to wander a bit and I kept asking myself: How do they do it?

After all, the Staples Center is used by the Clippers, the Lakers and the Kings, to name but a few and even I with my limited understanding of certain sports know that basketball is not played on ice. So during intermission I went off to inquire and what I found out pleased my German liking for efficiency.

This is how they do it:

They put in new floors. Quite simple, yes. The ice rink is the base structure. When the Clippers or the Lakers play, the ice is covered with an insulation layer and the floor for a basketball team is laid on top of that. A whole floor, complete with markings and logos for each basketball team. When everything gets switched back to hockey, the floor and insulation layer is taken off, the thermostat gets turned down and out come the guys on the skates.

But the really amazing part is – all of this takes 1 1/2 hours. Now that is what I call efficency. Kudos to the Staples Center. Good job, good job.

P.S.: The L.A. Kings lost against the Dallas Stars, but by one point only. And it was a fun game.

Sadly the Encounter Restaurant at LAX has been closed for at least six months. This came on the radio news today.

The reason seems to be some structural difficulty; a 1,000-pound piece of stucco fell off the underside of one of the arches.

Hopefully the damage can and will be be repaired. On the other hand, knowing the speed with which buildings disappear in this city, I am not quite sure whether it will be repaired.

I am hoping for the best. The Encounter is one of the landmarks of Los Angeles, dearly loved by many Angelenos. Even though we poke fun at it – but always with a smile.

Thank you, Mrs. Barnsdale, that is. Aline Barnsdale.
Thank you for being interested in the arts und independently wealthy
enough to commission Frank Lloyd Wright to build a house for you.

Hollyhock House.

Hollyhock House was the first structure FLW built in Southern California,
one of eight buildings ultimately built by him in and around Los Angeles. Only quite
recently Hollyhock House has been reopened to the public after lengthy
and thorough restoration works. This project included not only the building
itself, but also the restoration and/or replication of furniture and
artworks.

The House in Barnsdale Park is well worth a visit, or two, or three. The superb
combination of architecture and the surrounding landscape is quite breathtaking.
FLW knew a thing or two about extending the living area to the outside and
bringing the outside into the interior. Right now the surrounding gardens are
being redone and hopefully in a few months time the ensemble will be complete
again.

There is only one sad fact about Hollyhock House: Mrs. Barnsdale and FLW came
to loggerheads over it. Both had their very distinct ideas about this project
and the final outcome did not overly please Mrs. Barnsdale. FLW had, in a way,
won the battle but lost this particular war – Mrs. Barnsdale lived only
a few short years in the house and then donated it to the city of Los Angeles
as a place for the arts.

So, once again, thank you Mrs. Barnsdale; for the house, the park and the
headache you went through to give us Angelenos all of this.

We appreciate it very much.

(A 30 minute video about the restoration project can be viewed here.)

My mantra is “No, Los Angeles is not just freeways and cars.”

Contrary to widespread opinion one can find a lot of beautiful spots in the city. One such little gem is the Rowena Reservoir. It is also an example for a few interesting facts re. city development and neighborhood activities.

In 1992 the city passed a new ordinance that all open reservoirs had to be drained and were to be replaced by tanks. That made sense in an area threatened by earthquakes. The plan for the Rowena Reservoir was to drain the 31 million gallons of water stored there and to put in a new storage tank for 10 million gallons.

Above ground.

To be able to imagine the size of such a tank, one only has to do a few calculations to come up with numbers quite mind-boggling – that would be a cube with an edge length of 33 meters (or 108 feet). Even a tank only 16.5 m high (54 feet) would still have a length of 66 m (216 feet) and a width of 16.5 m (54 feet). Any variation whatsoever leads to the same result – a tank for 10 million gallons of water is a humongous structure.

To be placed above ground.

Understandably, people in the neighborhood were concerned and protested, which lead to talks with the Department of Water and Power. Incidentally, this was the very first instance for such cooperation between the DWP and citizens of LA. In due course an alternative plan was agreed upon: to drain the lake, put in a storage tank for 10 million gallons below ground, landscape the area, fill up a new, smaller lake and fence the whole area in, so that nobody can use it. For safety reasons, you know…

2002 the work was finished. The Rowena Reservoir is beautiful. To look at, quite longingly, but not to use. Unless one is a duck.

However, a tank above ground would have been much, much worse. There are also rumors that talks have begun about opening access for the public to the area. Maybe in another 10 years one can see a photo of the reservoir here sans fence.

I am sure that the DWP will then have to put up with a lot of complaining ducks.