Town of bedrock

I do this little shortcut on the way to work in the mornings. I go over this hill to the Silver Lake reservoir and at the bottom of the street I take to go over the hill, there is this house:

Nice cute little house, right? Obviously worth a lot of money because of the reservoir view, but unpretentious with its oil stains on the driveway. Cute. Quiet. But what is behind that nicely manicured hedge?

AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH CARNAGE CARNAGE THAT BRONTO HAS NO HEAD. AND NO LEGS. WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?

Wow.

If you lived at the shire, you’d be home by now

In mid-Culver City, in a hidden shire

There’s a brave little hobbit whom we all admire

With his dual-family home, he’s a real estate genius
Lives in a hobbit hole just south of Venice (Blvd.)

Bilbo (Bilbo)! Bilbo Baggins,

Only three feet from…

Sony (Sony)! Sony Pictures
It’s a pity he is working for New Line…

 

Everything from A to Z in the USA

Last Saturday I rode my bike around 40 miles in the San Gabriel Valley. Yes, it was about 100 degrees in that area last Saturday. Somewhere in Duarte, or maybe Bradbury or Azusa, I rode by this fantastic house. I had to take some photos to prove I hadn’t hallucinated it.

I’m not sure what style you call that – Post-Madonna Inn? I like it. Actually, there were two houses on the property.

And a train.

And a pyramid.

This isn’t the only pyramid in the area, either. Maybe I need to investigate this San Gabriel Valley pyramid thing further. Or maybe I need to stop riding my bike around in 100 degree weather.

Elephino

Oh, residents of Beverly Hills. You are a confusing bunch. One the one hand, you’re allOHMYGOD THINK OF THE CHILDREN when the city tries to build a subway under the local high school. But when faced with a family of vicious white tigers, a pride of lions,

wait – make that two families of white tigers, even more lions, a leopard,

a tower of giraffes, a herd of elephants,

and a goddamned gorilla

mere blocks away from an elementary school, with only the flimsiest of iron fences keeping the beasts from rampaging through the streets, do we hear a peep?

Sometimes I question your priorities.

Lavender African safari

LION LION!

LION LION LION!

LION LION LION!

LION LION LION LION LION LION LION LION!

This safari has been a little too exciting, maybe. Saint Francis needs some alone time with his birds.

Korean gingerbread

There’s a place in Koreatown in between a thrift store and a seafood restaurant that you might not notice at first.

The front windows are soaped up and there is an automatic gate that blocks all but the front of the property off from the public. But this past Saturday, the gate was open. After some trepidation, I went inside.

The Peterson Studio Court.

I don’t know if the fact that I tiptoed around says more about me or the place. Probably more about the place. It kind of leaves me speechless, and also wanting some little Danish cookies. Let’s just look at some photos, shall we?

I don’t blame you for having your gate closed most of the time, Petersen Studio Court. One should only be allowed entrance to you with the help of a fairy godmother.

Multiple choice

This home is located in:

a. the Philippines
b. Hawaii
c. Tahiti
d. Los Angeles, about ten doors down from Castle Grayskull

Everything but the kitchen sink

We’ve discussed neighborhood architectural amazement Castle Grayskull here before. The sconces, the stained glass depictions of medieval knights, the retractable flails, the guard zebra. At one point, Benny noted that all it needed was a moat. Et voila, the front entrance

now has a moat.

Upon seeing the moat, Benny’s eight-year-old son remarked with some concern about the problems a person might have if they were, say, carrying groceries and running into the house in a hurry. What if they tripped?

I don’t think there’s cause for alarm, myself. For one thing, I believe that every move made by the owners of Castle Grayskull will be sure-footed, and for another thing, I don’t think these guys have to buy groceries. I’m pretty sure they have a trained falcon that provides them with all the food they need. But I was curious about the moat, as it’s currently empty.

What will it be filled with? Tiny alligators? Acid? Fire? I can’t wait to see this.

All mod cons

For some reason, I didn’t expect Dick Clark to live in a house that looks like this:

And I guess he won’t be living there for long, as he recently put it up for sale. Probably a good idea. All that stone work looks a little dangerous for an 82-year-old to be toddling around in, even for America’s Oldest Living Teenager.

Holy mother of Mary

I had so much fun with you this weekend, Santa Ana! I am totes missing you and wish we could hang out OC-style always. Boo that you’re so far away. Oh hey, what’s this?

A suburban-style beige stucco gated community right here in artsy old Silver Lake? No way! It looks just like that movie Safe. But what if I can’t get past the guard shack? He was looking at me kind of funny just now. I guess I might smell a little too Silver Lake-y?

Oh wait; there are about five beige stucco houses just outside of the gate. Maybe we can meet on the sidewalk between the last beige stucco and the more traditional east side-style home?

I’m so excited you’re so close by, Santa Ana! C U soon!