Photographed by Maynard L. Parker: -
Categories: Architecture, Art, Blogging, Culture, Design, fashion, Film, History, Hollywood, Los Angeles, Movies, Photography, Travel, Uncategorized • Tags: architecture, art deco, department store, design, history, Los Angeles, Old Hollywood, Photographer Maynard L. Parker, porte cochere, Portico, Wilshire Blvd.
A favorite of the Rat Pack: A night in 1952: Sammy Davis Jr. recorded a live album here, and Judy Garland staged her comeback in 1958:
Categories: Architecture, Culture, Design, Entertainment, fashion, Film, History, Hollywood, Los Angeles, Movies, Photography, Travel, Uncategorized • Tags: 1952, 1958, Cocoanut Grove, comeback, Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, Jerry Lewis, Joey Bishop, Judy Garland, Los Angeles, night club, Rat Pack, recording, Sammy Davis Jr., The Ambassador Hotel, Wilshire Blvd.
Who danced and dined here? Just about everybody. A couple from the 1930′s: The room was redesigned in 1934 by Mary Jeffras: The crowd could have contained anyone… Joan Crawford, Clara Bow, Charlie Chaplin, Cary Grant… http://vickielester.com/2012/10/22/gin-babies-flappers-jazz-era-1927-hollywood/ For a look at the night club in the 1920′s.
Categories: Architecture, Choreography, Culture, Design, fashion, Film, History, Hollywood, Los Angeles, Movies, Photography, Travel, Uncategorized • Tags: Academy Awards, Architect Myron Hunt, assassination Embassy Ballroom, Cary Grant, Charlie Chaplin, Clara Bow, Cocoanut Grove, dancing, dignitaries, dining, events, history, Joan Crawford, Los Angeles, main lobby, Mary Jeffras, Photographs of 1930′s Los Angeles, Robert Kennedy, spa, Stars, The Ambassador Hotel, The Lido Club Feminine Conditioning, Wilshire Blvd.
From 1921 until 1989 the Ambassador Hotel was THE place to be in Hollywood. It housed dignitaries and stars and in-laws, and played hosts to weddings and the Academy Awards. It had a post office, a spa, a barbershop, restaurants, and of course – the famous Cocoanut Grove. It saw elation and tragedy (the assassination of Robert Kennedy) and it was woven tight into the fabric of Los Angeles. Designed by Myron Hunt and pictured in 1937: A ghostly picture […]
Categories: Architecture, Culture, Design, History, Hollywood, Los Angeles, Movies, Photography, Travel, Uncategorized • Tags: Academy Awards, Architect Myron Hunt, assassination Embassy Ballroom, Cocoanut Grove, dignitaries, events, history, Los Angeles, main lobby, Photographs of 1930's Los Angeles, Robert Kennedy, spa, Stars, The Ambassador Hotel, The Lido Club Feminine Conditioning, Wilshire Blvd.
Las Floristas is a big hoop-de-doo ball for charity. It usually takes place in April and in these pics the event took place at the Ambassador Hotel (earthquake damaged and torn down in 2005-ish) — I know, costumes from the wrong time of year, but I thought these prize winning headdresses were worthy of a Halloween gander. Before Garmin – a 3D version of our freeway system: Can you say breathtakingly… Maleficent? Did I mention tomorrow is story Sunday? And […]
Categories: Art, Culture, Design, Entertainment, fashion, Halloween, History, Hollywood, Humor, Los Angeles, Photography, Travel, Uncategorized, Writing • Tags: ball, charity, Costume, culture, fund raiser, Halloween, headdress, history, Hollywood, Las Floristas, Los Angeles, philanthropic, prize, The Ambassador Hotel, whimsey, Wilshire Blvd.
Even the grocery stores were glamorous – designed by Morgan, Walls & Clements (also designed the Chapman Market) – this firm designed some of the most iconic buildings of early Hollywood (and I promise we’ll get to these landmarks) but for now we’ll roll with my fascination with the mundane market made marvelous: Wilshire Blvd. Hollywood Blvd. And, where Mildred Pierce’s boyfriend made his home in high tone Pasadena.
Categories: Architecture, Cooking, Culture, Design, Film, History, Hollywood, Los Angeles, Movies, Photography, Uncategorized, Writing • Tags: 1920s, Architects, architecture, Chapman Market, glamorous, Gothic, Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, market, Moorish arches, Morgan Walls Clements, Old Hollywood, Pasadena, photos, Ralph's Grocery Stores, Spanish, Spanish Gothic, Spanish Rococo, Wilshire Blvd.
Bullock’s Wilshire was the first department store designed to accommodate the car. Huge artfully dressed windows faced the street to attract traffic and the entrance was in the back under a porte-cochere where liveried attendants parked your Nash or Packard. Architects John and Donald Parkinson – built 1929 – architectural rendering: The store served the likes of Marlene Dietrich, the De Milles and Mr. and Mrs. Disney… And, before Angela Lansbury landed an acting gig she was a sales clerk. […]
Categories: Architecture, Art, Culture, Design, Entertainment, fashion, History, Hollywood, Los Angeles, Movies, Uncategorized, Writing • Tags: 1929, Angela Landsbury, Architect, art deco, automobile, bloggers, Bullock's Wilshire, John and Donald Parkinson, Los Angeles, Marlene Dietrich, Nash, Packard, silk pajamas, tower, Walt Disney, Wilshire Blvd.
