West Hollywood Preservation

We talked about the dichotomy I blogged about yesterday in my lecture today. When Katz started talking about making laws to enforce "economic equality," and about whether discrimination was good or bad, I was thinking--Sounds familiar...

Anyways, I'm about to read something about Tower Records on Sunset Deja vu. R mentioned Sunset and all the preservation attempts--all practically failures--in West Hollywood. I feel in the know, that he told me these things even before this story came out.

The article is here. From the LA Times.

So as R discussed the different sides of the story to me, the conflict between the developers/City Council and the people for the preservation of these culturally significant sites lies in development for multi-story residential, mixed-use complexes. Geez. That sucks. And it's just as we've learned in the LA Cluster--it's such a dominant and recurring theme. LA does not care about its history. Just like Ed Ruscha said, you you can visit a gas station once, but you just don't know if its gonna be there the next time you come around. Things are built quick, torn down even faster. LA is very impermanent. It lives only in pictures. How significant it is that the Hollywood industry is stationed here. I guess it archives LA history for the people of LA, who want history, but don't want to preserve it. They want the idea of history, but they don't much care for tangible substance. No sustenance of substance. Tragic.

Almost forgot about the Tryst

So on my WeHo tour, R showed me a mansion in the hills, and pointed out that it had a secret passageway. Nice, right?

Well, supposedly, it was used by Marilyn and RFK. He said it led to a suite, where they had their trysts.

Scandalous mofo! I didn't believe him at first. More like, I didn't want to. But, as I have already admitted, I don't want to--well I do want to, but I understand that I can't, know too much about politicians' lives. Many Americans have already passed away, wondering but never having known secrets to the mysteries shrouded and buried by those sneaky FBI, CIA, etc. agencies. Tragic. I wish I could at least take some secrets to my grave when I die. Then the fruits that sprout from the tree, nourished by my decaying body, will bore fruits of knowledge. How cute, how lovely. Just don't know how such Wendy-fruits would taste. I wouldn't think too good, since I am an "old lady," and eat dried fruits, bland crackers, and drink hot water.

I Love WeHo

Today, I went on a tour, guided by R.G. I loved every minute, every second of it. I went into a part of WeHo I had never walked. It's such a community. R was right. It's that this part of town is so welcoming and accepting that the oppressed come and feel included, invited; and that it attracts the oppressed, in turn reinforces the neighborly feel, because having gone through previous rejection, WeHo's refugees would never want to recreate that environment and impose that kind of hurt on anybody else. It's such a concept. It's such a harmonious way of life. It is so inclusive, as he says. Nobody wants to make anyone else feel left out. After we got out of Cafe Marco, we went to the beginning of Memorial Walk. He told me a little bit about himself. He's such a genuine, kind and beautiful soul. I have never met anyone as genuine and knowledgeable as he. He has so much heart. I have no other way of putting this. It sounds ridiculous, and I know I'm not giving him full credit, as no words can express the vibe that emanates from him. He is just so genuine. I've used genuine three times already, and I still want to keep using it, because that is really the way he speaks, acts, thinks. It's just so overwhelming how smart and powerful his mind and his occupation (as an activist) is.
I really genuinely hope that I will be able to meet him again. He relished all the views of California. He took pictures of the snow-capped mountains, he showed me the breath-taking view of Los Angeles from the parking lot. He told me his first time in California, driving out to the ocean, jumping in with his buddies fully-clothed. It's such a wonderful life. Such a naive, blissful way to live. I thought it came right out of the movies. Especially when he talked about M. That was the most special incident I have ever heard of. in my life. I was welling up when he said that M died the day after he showed the photo to him in the hospital. I really wish I had this day on film.

Some nonsense I should add--I spilt my tea at Cafe Marco. But they gave me one for free. What sweet sweet people.