Palace in the Sky....

Coming Available;

***RENTED***-One Bedroom unit on the 14th floor, 1050 sq ft, $2000/mo.***RENTED***

Enjoy!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Holidays Are Upon Us...

...

...and the Gaylord Holiday Party, for our tenants, will be next week. Come down the stairs and join in on the celebration of the season with your fellow residents. It has been confirmed (backstage from Minsk, Belarus) that our very talented Gaylord resident, Kenny Lyon, will provide this year's musical entertainment.

**********THURSDAY, DEC 20th from 6-10PM.**********

Can You Believe It's Been Running For 2 Years?

The 'Pajama Party' comedy show is having their 2nd Anniversary Show this coming Monday, Dec 17th at 8pm. Come out and celebrate with your host & fellow Gaylord resident, Carl and his merry band of friends, co-hosts, misfit comics & storytellers. There's something about a magician being in attendance too!

One Bedroom Unit Coming...

We have another One Bedroom unit opening up soon!

-One Bedroom on the 14th floor (the top!) at 820 sq ft for $1700/mo.

O Tannenbaum!

Our magnificent holiday christmas tree for the lobby arrived yesterday afternoon. What a plump beauty she is! And, the enchanting scent she offers to all those that pass through is most welcoming. Our wonderful Martha is busy stringing the lights, hanging the ornaments and has placed the guiding star atop. As well as draping the garland all about the lobby for a festive holiday season. Please do take a moment to appreciate while finding your way through our glorious Gaylord lobby.

One Bedroom Coming in December...

AVAILABLE for mid-December:

-One Bedroom unit on the 6th floor at 740 sq ft for $1550/month.

From 1932...

Pictured, is a print ad from 1932 for the Gaylord, highlighting 'lasting satisfaction.' (thank you to the anonymous Bounty patron who purchased the original on line and passed it on through our tenants.)

Don't believe the hype though, there is no 'Room Service' offered today (unless, of course, you make a covenant with the Gaylord spirits to serve you) and there are no 'Rates from $100' (no covenants will help you with that one). When available, our Bachelor units begin renting at $775/mo and rents go up to $2000/mo for our largest One Bedroom units.

AVAILABLE!!!...

NOW:

***RENTED***-One Bedroom unit on the 3rd floor at 1050 sq ft, $1550/month.***RENTED***

COMING AVAILABLE LATER THIS MONTH:

***RENTED***-One Bedroom unit on the 3rd floor at 740 sq ft, $1475/month.***RENTED***

November 1925 'The Buzzer'...

Sadly, this is not the complete issue of the Gaylord's November 1925, 'The Buzzer'. A couple of the pages are missing. But still, some interesting events listed in the issue that were taking place at our beloved home.

Of note, the 'Brilliant Affair Planned by Notables,' which was hosted by USC President, Dr. Rufus B. Von KleinSmid and brought together a talented group of artists & musical composers, such as Carrie Jacobs Bond, composer of many song and Howard Chandler Christy, the man behind the 'Christy Girl' illustrations.

3 faces of screen & stage, topped by the beautiful Greta Nissen.

And, mention of the Gaylord debutantes, after a bridge tea, partaking in 'a free-for-all Charleston contest,' which I recall from a later issue, this dance being banned from the Gaylord by management because it was deemed vulgar.

Good times!

Progress on Demo...

Achieving more breathing space for our quaint pool area in the back.

Were you there?

...This past Saturday was the Dia de Los Muertos festival at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery. There were plenty of beautiful altars and 3 stages with great entertainment. This is an event you should try to attend if you have never experienced it, part of our Los Angeles culture that takes root from Mexico tradition.

Who knew?

...There is an HMS Bounty still sailing the seas (the namesake of the bar/restaurant inside the Gaylord). Let's put our good thoughts out there for the 2 still missing from the ship, in the Atlantic, due to Hurricane Sandy. Let's also hope the ship will survive the storm.

Demo to Begin...

This Thursday and Friday, we will be removing the vacant back office and back storage room of the EyeMax store, that overlook our pool area, to reveal & restore some of the original architectural details of the Gaylord. Don't worry folks, even though the pool is not original to the Gaylord, we will not replace it with the original grass lawn.

Also....

... Featured in the LA Weekly's 'Best of LA' issue, our very own Edgar! His video game shop 'World 8' was awarded 'Best Video Game Store.' The store has been open for over a year now and seems to be a popular spot for the gamers. The building the store is in, on South Vermont, is cool itself (an old gas station). Stop by, visit, congratulate Edgar and say "hi!"

World 8, 1057 S. Vermont Ave.

HMS Bounty Dubious Acclaim...

In this years LA Weekly 'Best of L.A.' issue on newsstands now, the Bounty receives notoriety for 'Best Bar Bathroom'... amusing. I would say it relies more on the adventure to get to the men's bathroom than the actual ambiance of the facility. If I had my druthers I would redo both the ladies & men's restrooms to make them a bit more posh and stately... say a better representation for the Gaylord.

Mission Hopping...

This past Saturday, the mister and I went and visited a couple of missions. The two missions we visited are part of California's historical past from the late 18th century. Beautiful, old structures that played a significant role in the early European (Spanish) settlements of the western United States.

With the day starting late, we headed to the San Fernando Mission first (the altar pictured above is from the San Fernando Mission). The surprise here was coming across the final resting grounds for Bob & Delores Hope in a small, sweet garden behind the chapel... a bit of Hollywood history. Leaving San Fernando, we headed west on the 118 freeway and hit the back roads to meander up to Ventura, where we stopped to visit the San Buenaventura Mission on Main Street. Being in the heart of downtown Ventura, what is left of this mission is much smaller than the others but still worth visiting. Afterwards, we went and had an early and delicious dinner at Capriccio, also on Main Street, which left us time to go up to Grant Memorial Park to watch the sunset. Grant Memorial Park sits on the hill just above the city of Ventura and gives you a great vantage point to view the sunset over the Pacific.

The original plan was to start early enough in the day where we could begin with the mission in San Juan Capistrano and visit the three, which is do-able, OR finish at the mission in Santa Barbara (a gorgeous mission with lovely grounds). This is just one of many day trips you can take from your home here at the Gaylord to explore the wonderful southern California region.

For Your Viewing Pleasure...

PSY hits K-town, Gangnam style! Watch @

www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMXeOFcw3HE

New Date & Added Line-Up...

The 'Pajama Party' Comedy Event will now be taking place this coming Monday, Oct. 1st at 8pm, with an additional line-up of comic masters. HEY, I recognize some of those faces from tv!

HaHaHaaaaaaaa...

***POSTPONED***POSTPONED***POSTPONED***POSTPONED***
Pajama Party Comedy Show coming this Monday, Monday, Monday... at 8pm!

Weather Permitting...

For those Gaylord tenants with north facing views, tomorrow, Friday, Sept 21st, the space shuttle Endeavour is planning a low fly over of the Griffith Observatory at approximately mid-late morning, as long as the weather cooperates. If you are home, try to catch a look from your window of the Endeavour's final journey before the space shuttle takes up residence at its permanent home at the California Science Center.

Blogs...

groovecentralla.com gives an amusing take on Henry Gaylord Wilshire and the Bounty. Take a read. The blog posting is from Sept 7th.

Not What Lies Beneath...

...but what lies above. Pictured is part of the original crown mouldings from the extravagant Gaylord lobby. This section lies hidden up under the current ceiling in the Eyemax optical store, which used to be a part of the entire and elaborate Gaylord lobby. It is a beauty!

Y'all Have Been Asking...

(Excuse my southern twang there. It still comes out every so often, after having lived in Hot'lanta for 6 years during the late 70's to mid 80's.)

***RENTED***Coming AVAILABLE for mid-late October, a One Bedroom unit, located on the 5th floor, north/west corner unit at 740 sq ft for $1500/month, with concrete floors, 9 ft ceilings and views of the 'HOLLYWOOD' sign & Griffith Observatory. If interested do not hesitate to inquire, as we have a full house at this time.***RENTED***

Good bye Tully's...

It is official, the sign on the door of our neighborhood Tully's Coffee reads it will be closing this Friday, the 14th of September. Be sure to stop by and give best wishes to Nick or whoever your favorite person was that served you there.

Angeleno feature...

In the current issue (Sept) of Angeleno magazine, on newsstands now, there is a cover story on Oscar & Tony nominated actress, Anna Kendrick. Photographed by John Russo and shot at our lovely home, the Gaylord apartments. Residents, you may notice a banister or hallway that are familiar to you. Above, are just a couple of the photos from the story. To see the other photos of Anna in designer frocks set around the Gaylord, pick one up at a newsstand or browse through the issue online at,

 modernluxury.com/angeleno.

K-town Food Exposed...

In the new issue of Sunset magazine (Sept 2012), chef Debbie Lee takes you on a tour of some of her favorite Korean restaurants in our neighborhood with a guide for 10 essential Korean dishes (the new 'it' cuisine). Pick it up for review.

More Coffee Talk...

Word on the street is that our Tully's Coffee, one block west of us on Wilshire, that many of you frequent, will be going out soon and be replaced by The Coffee Bean & Teal Leaf. Don't forget, we also have a Starbuck's opening in the near future right across the street from there. Soooooooo, along with the many Korean boba/coffee houses already in existence in the area, we will be one hyper, over-caffeinated neighborhood. Would you like an extra shot?

Tenant Has Film In Works...

Our divine Lana, has a great short film in the works that should be released soon. You may recognize some of the characters throughout. For more info & a trailer for the film, visit the facebook page at,

http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Sparkle/162163300587761.

In Need of Comic Relief...

There is a big line up for the 'Pajama Party' this coming Monday evening, the 27th. Let one or all of these comics brighten your sunny disposition some more. It all starts at 8pm!

Red Tail Anyone?...

Has anyone seen our neighborhood red tailed hawks, lately? It has been a couple of months since last sighting them and they use to fly over head daily in all of their majestic glory. They were residents of our immediate neighborhood for several years, keeping an eye on all below. I heard them making a big commotion a while back when I was in the office and have not seen them since. I am feeling lost without them and I need that sense of wild around me while I live in this concrete jungle.

Okay, Caffeinated Addicts...

Last night, I saw the sign that a Starbucks will be opening up on the next block on Wilshire soon (a few doors west of the Bank of America), between Mariposa and Normandie. Now you won't have to walk all the way down 7 blocks to Serrano Ave to get your fix, you Starbucks junkies ( I do indulge, myself).

New Park Downtown...

While out and about, last Friday evening, the mister and I deliberately strayed from the hula performance (White men in cargo shorts dancing the hula! really!?! Sorry, to those of you who may have gone upon my recommendation in a previous Blog post.) at Grand Performances and strolled down Grand Avenue towards the Music Center to see if anything else of interest was to be had. Lo and behold, a new park with green space has recently opened up downtown, called Grand Park. Los Angeles is getting some things right now (With a bit of visionary help from Eli Broad. Can't wait to see the finished product of his new museum on Grand, next to the Disney Concert Hall.) for their residents. Great park, wonderful views, fun water fountain & wading area and nicely landscaped grounds and of course a Starbucks smack dab in the middle of it all (so you can get your caffeine high while trying to meditate on the green lawn)! On this evening, there was an off the Strip, Vegas style band (with gold lame' jackets on) playing 50's music and everyone from tots to grand parents up and dancing. All were having a good time & actually mingling. This is directly across Grand Avenue from the Music Center and next to the Stanley Mosk Courthouse (the next time you serve jury duty you will now have a lovely place to escape to on your lunch break, which is usually needed).

Be sure to go by and appreciate (get your feet wet!) and take a stroll.

A Couple of Meals Worth Noting...

In the past couple of months, the husband and I have experienced two very tasty meals worth mentioning.

The first, we had just about 2 months ago at eat.drink.americano. eat.drink.americano is the new Cafe Metropole reinvigorated, which is located in the Artists District downtown at 923 E 3rd St, with a fresh menu of food, ales & wine offerings. We started with the Chop Board that consists of your choice of a combination of Italian meats & cheeses served with house marinated olives & artisan bread. Totally satisfying with a great glass of wine. For dinner, I went with the Niman Pork Cheeks. Like OMG!!! (sorry, got to keep it contemporary), so tender and delicious. My husband had the steak tartare that came with mustard ice cream. WOW is all I have to say on that dish, was that good! The evening ended with the 'pull me Up' dessert. A trifle of coffee & amaretto soaked lady fingers, fresh pannacotta & chocolate ganache. This was a pleasurable night and the owners are always delightful to visit with.

For more info, eatdrinkamericano.com.

The other meal was a couple of weeks ago and a most romantic dinner out. Our lovely Joanna has been telling me about Church & State for some time now. I see why! French menu, beautifully executed with a lively atmosphere in a beautiful space. This is located a block away from the Greyhound bus station downtown and not far from skid row. (HUH!?!) Located on the street level of the National Biscuit Company lofts building. This is one of those charming 2-3 block pocket neighborhoods that you run across in LA and ask yourself, is it reality or a movie set. We started with the mushroom tarte served on a wood plank. The combination of sweet with the mushroom and light flaky crust was amazing. Again, I went with pork, the pork belly this time with fingerling potatoes and fresh figs. I think I went to heaven on this meal. And the mister had the roasted half organic chicken that was seasoned to perfection. There is always dessert for me and I went with the chocolate and salted caramel tarte... yummmmmmmmmmmm. He had the creme brulee. We ate outside and took in the delightful neighborhood with the residents out walking their dogs. The dining room inside seems it may be loud, but still very charming and you can watch all the action going on inside from your outside table (like a zoo!). If you want a special meal, you must go here. 1850 Industrial St.

For more info, churchandstatebistro.com.

Hula Anyone?...

No, not on the screen 'hulu' viewing! We want you outdoors under the night sky on these warm evenings. Tonight & tomorrow night starting at 8pm at Grand Performances downtown, the Na Lei Hulu I Ka Wekiu dance hula company will be performing. Go and enjoy the amalgamation of music styles set to hula. Shake those hips and wave your hands in the air like you just don't care... (gracefully now).

Go to grandperformances.org for more info.

It Did Not Last For Long...

We have 2TWO2 units that will be available SOON,

***RENTED***- Single, 10th floor, 540 sq ft, east facing, $1100/mo.***RENTED***
***RENTED***- Bachelor, 4th floor, 380 sq ft, south facing overlooking Wilshire Blvd, $760/mo.***RENTED***

Inquire if interested.

FULL HOUSE...

The Gaylord has a full house at this time. Please inquire if you are interested in future rentals.

Time of Year for our Median...

The portion of Wilshire Boulevard, in front of the Gaylord, is known as the Robert F Kennedy Memorial Parkway. Along with all of the New Zealand flax plants that fill the median year-round, there is also a row of crepe myrtle trees and now is the time of year to appreciate these beauties. A deciduous tree, crepe myrtles are not much to look at during the winter months (even in LA!) with their barren branches, but come spring & summer, their pinks & fuschias are in full bloom and can be greatly enjoyed for the breath of color. If any of you out there can get me a beautiful shot of this colorful line up (the colors work well with the N.Z. flax, too!) I would love to share the photo with everyone (my camera phone will not do the composition justice). You can get some great angular shots with this line & backgrounds. Please enjoy this landscape as you stroll or drive by.                                                                                             

There is Only One Available...

***RENTED***Folks, there is ONLY ONE available unit at this time. A great One Bedroom unit on the 7th floor at 820 sq ft, south/east corner unit, lots of windows, bright, overlooking Wilshire Blvd & the RFK Community Schools campus, spacious closets, concrete floors, 9 ft ceilings and the Gaylord community. You can have all of this for $1600/month.***RENTED***

The Gaylord 'Buzzer' from July 1925...

Things To Do This Weekend...

Folks, there are a couple of concerts happening this weekend at 'Grand Performances' at California Plaza. These are FREE concerts. First, on Friday night it sounds to be a great tribute to Gil Scott-Heron. If you are familiar with 'The Revolution Will Not Be Televised' then you know Gil Scott-Heron. If you are not familiar (then my age is showing!) you need to look it up and LISTEN.

I, myself, along with the husband & friends will be found there for Saturday nights tribute to Cachao. This is classic Cuban mambo from the original, so get ready to MOVE! Members of his band will be performing this tribute. If any of you out there were around L.A. in the late 80's/early 90's you may recall the band, Mango Bang. Acquaintances of mine, Nelson and Richard were a part of Mango Bang and will be on stage for this tribute, having been some of the privileged musicians who actually performed with Cachao in his later years.

It is supposed to be a hot weekend and it is going to get even HOTTER at Grand Performances.

grandperformances.org

Downtown Hustle Bustle...

Last Saturday night, the man and I went for a late dinner at CPK, located in the 7+Fig complex (this is where the new Target is opening up in 2013) downtown. Afterward, not quite ready to head home and he with his vintage 1958 Argus in hand, we decided to drive and explore the downtown area a little. We first hit Broadway so he could take some shots of the old movie palaces all lit up. Then, continued to drive up and down all the streets from Figueroa to Los Angeles, between 1st to Olympic, to check on the burgeoning evening destinations for downtown. Alas, there is a bit of a nightlife down there that exists. Free concerts were happening in both Pershing Square and 'Grand Performances' at California Plaza. We passed by quite a few groovy, hip, cute restaurants & cafes filled with customers having late dinners, enjoying drinks & company. We also noticed a few lines outside the velvet ropes for a couple of clubs. I've been to the Edison, in the past, and the crowd there reminded me of the bridge & tunnel crowd, on the weekends, at the Manhattan nightclubs during the 1980's & early 90's.  Foodwise, I have known about Bottega Louie and have had a good breakfast there in the past, but still have yet to try it for dinner. I have heard good things about the meals at Church & State (which is a little outside this radius, but not much) also and will have to plant myself there one night for a course. It seems it is time for us to get down there and experience some of these others we passed and do not know any details about. What have you heard?

Fascinating Notes on July 1927...

I've been wanting to share these notes with you since I posted the July 1927 issue of 'Gaylord Glimpses' last week, but it has been so busy lately. We have it 'going on' here at the Gaylord today, but I sure would have loved to have been around the Gaylord in 1927 for all of this activity... I dug up some GOOD info on the personalities in this issue.

On page 6, Margaret Chute, British entertainment journalist for 'Picture Show' & 'Everybody's Weekly' magazines, threw a dinner party in her apartment with quite the film cast attending. The guests included Ernest Torrence, who was featured in over 50 films between 1918-1933. Ernest was in the 1923 version of 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame' with Lon Chaney and he also starred with Gaylord resident, Greta Nissen in 'The Lady of the Harem' from 1926. Also attending this dinner, Mr. & Mrs. Clive Brook. Between 1920-1963, Clive appeared in over 100 films & television shows. Of note, with Clara Bow in 1927's 'Hula' and 1932's 'Shanghai Express' with Marlene Dietrich. Clive also starred with Gaylord resident, Greta Nissen and fellow dinner guest, Philip Strange in 'The Popular Sin' from 1926. Clive was married to Mrs. Brook (Mildred Evelyn) for over 50 years and she appeared on the silver screen in 8 films between 1921-1943. Dinner guests, Mr. & Mrs. William LeBaron, William was a songwriter, composer & producer on over 200 films from 1926-1947. He was producer for the Academy Award winning Best Picture film of 1931, 'Cimarron' and was an associate producer on 'The Popular Sin' which featured Clive & Philip. William was married to British Stage musical comedy actress, Mabel Hollins. In attendance on this evening was debonair Ronald Colman who was in over 60 films & television shows from 1917-1957. He was in 'The Winning of Barbara Worth' with Vilma Banky & Gary Cooper in 1926 and starred in one of my favorite movies, from 1937, 'Lost Horizon.' I remember watching this film with my mother on tv when I was just a child. Last dinner guest on the list for Ms. Chute's spectacular evening was Philip Strange. Philip was featured from 1926-1949 in 27 films. Starring with Gary Cooper in 1927's 'Nevada' and with Gaylord resident, Adolphe Menjou in 'The Ace of Cads' from 1926. The stories that must have been told that night! I am sure Margaret went back to London with several months worth of material to write.

On page 7, photo of Constance Talmadge, Gaylord resident and BIG romantic comedy star of the silent era, which I have made note of in past postings. Here, it is stating that Constance was a bridesmaid for fellow actress, Vilma Banky, Goldwyn's biggest money earner in the 1920's. Appearing with such notables as Ronald Colman and Rudolph Valentino in 26 films from 1919-1933. Vilma was marrying Rod LaRoque, who was featured in over 100 films between 1914-1941 and had none other than Cecil B. DeMille as his Best man for the wedding.

On page 9,  Mr. & Mrs. J.B. Alexander are mentioned. J.B. Alexander, at the time, was one of the distinguished directors of the Federal Reserve Bank.

On page 9, there is mention of Gaylord resident & prolific actor, Adolphe Menjou, departing the Gaylord for his new home in Los Feliz Heights. Adolphe starred in 149 film & television shows from 1914-1961. He was nominated for the Best Actor Oscar in 1931 for 'The Front Page.' I would have to say my favorite Adolphe Menjou movie would have to be 'Stage Door' from 1937, which starred Katherine Hepburn, Ginger Rogers, Lucille Ball, Eve Arden & Ann Miller. What a cast!!! Adolphe played the role of an older 'playa' (in today's terms) trying to get with all of these young, up and coming actresses.

Also on page 9, Gaylord residents, May Allison and James Quirk, whom I have made mention of in previous postings. May having starred in 59 films, in the silent days, between 1915-1927 and James being the editor of 'Photoplay' magazine.

On page 12 & 13, a story on the Gaylord Commissary & Room Service. These were located in the basement and I believe the Commissary was where our laundry facility is today.

On page 15, they write of a Mrs. Odell S. McConnell and her son, Odell returning home to the Gaylord from a world tour. Little Odell would later grow up to be a prominent L.A. attorney and eventually had the Pepperdine University of Law School building named after him. Again, such distinguished guests/residents.

and lastly, on page 15, mention of New York stage star, Marion Coakley, who did not have a big film career, but did appear in 2 films.

If any of the other names in this issue ring a bell to you, let me know their story so I may share them with the rest of our audience.

Gaylord Glimpses of July 1927...

Unfortunately, somewhere along the years somebody had torn out pages 3 & 4 of this issue. What mystery lies in those pages?

And as a look into the future, you will see the notes of the editor, Ruth Lilly (wife of J.B., who owned the Gaylord at the time), scribbled throughout this issue for the upcoming issue of the Gaylord Glimpses.