the Great Outdoors...

Last weekend, I headed out to the horse ranch, up in Ventura County, to see my girls. As I pulled into the long driveway, 4 turkey vultures took flight from the ground, with the carcass & entrails of an unfortunate ground squirrel swinging in the wind from the clutches of one of the vulture's claws. Life, real life & the great outdoors! This is one of those images that leave a lasting impression in your mind. Don't you just love it? These types of scenes are just a 45 minute drive away for your viewing pleasure. Go in just about any direction and you will find the advantages of living in such a diverse environment, here in the L.A. area.

You need not drive to Ventura County. Within the city limits of Los Angeles, is Topanga State Park, filled with 36 miles of hiking trails and scenic views of the Pacific Ocean. There is one great hike down to a beautiful, secluded waterfall. A few years back, when I did volunteer work as a docent at the Nature Center in Topanga State Park, I would see plenty of scenes as described above with the turkey vultures, along with bounding mule deers, frisky rattlesnakes, entrancing bobcats and yes, the roadrunner and the wily coyote. So take that short drive up PCH to the park. My next exploration needs to be up to Lake Arrowhead.

4th of July...

Gaylord Residents, Jay should have his barbecue fired up for the 4th of July, poolside. Bring your bbq fixin's on back and get your grill on for the holiday and enjoy the company of your neighbors!

CURRENT LISTINGS...

AVAILABLE NOW;
-14th floor (the top!), One Bedroom, 820 sq ft, south/east corner, $1650/mo.
***RENTED***-7th floor, One Bedroom, 1100 sq ft!, north, south & west views, $1650/mo.***RENTED***
-14th floor, Single, 670 sq ft, west facing, great details, $1400/mo.

COMING IN AUGUST;
-11th floor, One Bedroom, 820 sq ft, south/east corner, $1600/mo.

July Events @ Grand Performances...

Don't forget! These are a variety of FREE events at California Plaza, downtown near MOCA on Grand. Be sure to get out and enjoy these offerings, this Summer.

Friday night, July 22nd, will surely be on my schedule! Time to move & groove to the sounds of Fania Records. SssssWEET!

What's everyone doing for the 4th?!

One Bedroom, 11th floor...

NICE One Bedroom unit on the 11th floor will be opening up in July. This is a south/east corner unit at 820 sq ft. Sunny, Bright, Lots of Closet Space, Great Kitchen Details, 9ft Ceilings, Concrete Floors. $1600/mo, UTILITIES INCLUDED. Should be ready after the first week of July.

film fest...

Don't forget the 2011 L.A. Film Fest has been happening this week and will be winding down on Sunday, the 26th of June. Go to their website at lafilmfest.com to find the remaining previews, times and locations for the films you may want to see. This is a great way to support the film community from around the world and get you out! I will be attending the preview of 'Christopher and his Kind', a film based on the early years of author, Christopher Isherwood. Should be a great night out!

Remnant of the Past...

Originally, in 1924, when the Gaylord made its' grand debut, the suites were carpeted. Pictured, is a remnant of the original carpeting that would have been found inside the suites. This piece we uncovered from underneath one of the dresser built-ins.

If you click on the page from the April 1926 Gaylord Glimpses, posted here, you will see a photo of an interior inside one of the Gaylord suites, with a grand piano. Underneath the piano and some throw rugs is this carpet.

Black and tan... hmmm, makes me think of beer.

Magnificent Top Floor Single...

AVAILABLE on the top floor (14th!), a magnificent Single unit at 670 sq ft for $1400/mo.
This is a west facing unit with hardwood floors, great closets, distinctive upgrades.
If you enjoy grand living, this is the one for you. This unit will not be available for long!

Search other available units in the June 14th entry.

Upcoming CD release...

Have an ear out for the debut cd on Sept. 6th for one of our talented residents of the Gaylord. 'Zenith Myth' has produced a great, complete cd from beginning to end. Go to puregrainaudio.com and search for 'zenith myth' to get more of the background story. Come on, if Meshell Ndegeocello is a featured vocalist on it, how can you go wrong?!

Wilshire Boulevard...

This photo was taken from atop the Gaylord, looking west, clearly from the early days of Wilshire Blvd. Just a vast plain ahead of you filled with houses and not the high rises that we know of today. Look at how far west you can see without the obstructed views! All you had was the Gaylord, the original Brown Derby at its' original location (which took up the entire front of the block between Alexandria & Mariposa), our majestic neighbor still standing proudly today, the Wilshire Christian Church on the corner at Normandie and many lighted billboards for Frigidaire, Palos Verdes Estates, the silent film drama, Four Sons from 1928, etc.

AVAILABLE NOW & Coming Soon...

One Bedroom units AVAILABLE NOW;
- 14th floor (top floor), 820 sq ft, south/east corner, views of downtown & Catalina Island, $1650/mo.
- 7th floor, 1100 sq ft, north, south & west facing views from the 'HOLLYWOOD' sign & Griffith Observatory to Wilshire Blvd west, $1650/mo.

Single units COMING IN JULY;
***RENTED***-10th floor, 670 sq ft, west facing, great closets, $1170/mo.***RENTED***
***RENTED***-8th floor, 540 sq ft, east facing, bright, $1040/mo.***RENTED***

All units have concrete floors, 9 ft ceilings. UTILITIES INCLUDED.

Gaylord Glimpses of June 1927...

Some great bits in this issue. First, there is the announcement of the new baby-faced manager of the Gaylord, Mr. W. W. Whitecotton, on page 6.

On page 14, mention of Gaylord resident, Maurice Revnes, departing for a home within the city. Mr. Revnes was the early screen writer on 'China Seas,' the 1935 film which starred Clark Gable, Jean Harlow and Rosalind Russell with the great character actors Wallace Beery and C. Aubrey Smith.

On page 15, photo of lovely actress and Gaylord resident, Greta Nissen, with her new 'do' whom we have mentioned from previous archives.

On page 17, picture of Helen Foster, who starred in 50 films between 1925-56. She did not seem to take the advice of if you want to be a star, don't work with children or animals. For Miss Foster worked with Ranger the Dog in a few movies in 1927 and Rex the Wonder Horse in 1929. Helen was also featured with fellow Gaylord resident, Gertrude Olmstead, in the 1928 film, 'Sweet Sixteen.' (Do you think they rehearsed lines together within their apartments here?) Helen Foster was last featured, as an extra, in 1956's 'Around the World in Eighty Days' with David Niven and Cantinflas!

On page 19, there is mention of a mysterious Lady Tyo Abdy of Paris, France, that resided at the Gaylord for a month. I have not been able to find any kind of information on this elusive, so-called 'Lady.' If any of you can dig something up on her, please fill us in!

Comedy this SUNDAY...

Come get your laugh on this Sunday evening.

Comedic Carl...

Our resident comedian, Carl, has several events going on around town. 'Asleep at the Wheel' at 8pm, on Friday, June 17th and Sunday, June 19th. This will be held at I.O. West Mainstage, 6366 Hollywood Blvd. Then there is his weekly radio gig, 'Grand Theft Audio,' live on Thursdays from 6-8pm at newdissidentradio.com. Catch them when you can. Also, there will be an upcoming article in the Calendar section, Friday, June 10th, on page 16, of the L.A. Times. Look out for Carl!

GRAND performances...

Grand Performances at California Plaza, downtown, is celebrating it's 25th year of offering FREE entertainment to the public. This happens during the Summer months and the first event will be starting on Friday, June 17th, at 8:30pm. They bring film, dance, the written word, music and all sorts of cultural activity from around the world and locally for your viewing pleasure. I have been attending some of their events for the last few years now and have enjoyed coming together with the L.A. community to share in their productions. Over the years I have seen mesmerizing, moving Mexican dance companies, over the top hip hop orchestras, classic Mexican film and beats from all over the world! California Plaza is the outdoor watercourt gathering place, located at 300-350 S Grand Ave, just a few steps away from MOCA. Events run through the end of September. To view their schedule of events go to grandperformances.org and enjoy a Summer evening outdoors.

SWINDLE 2007...

For those of you who missed it, a few years back, SWINDLE magazine did a great spread on our beloved Gaylord with commentary on some of the tenants at the time. Some of those sunny faces are still residing with us and serving you!