This January 14, 2024 visit to the Getty Center happened on the last day of the William Blake exhibit. Thus, crowds beyond the average jammed into the parking structure, the "three-car, cable-pulled hover train people mover," and the galleries themselves. Outside, the clear skies made for easy viewing across Los Angeles from Santa Monica Bay to Downtown.
If you look real close facing east-ish, you can spot Century City, the Park LaBrea apartments, the Beverly Center Mall, the Ninety Two Towers at the west end of the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood, and the downtown L.A. skyline in the far distance.
Facing west-ish, you can spot the Santa Monica Bay itself as well as the beach cites all the way down to a hazy Palos Verdes Peninsula.
A vibrant sunset appears later in the video with an array of colors certain to give you a pause, a tingle, perhaps even a meditative moment.
Of course, people watching figures prominently in this brief glimpse of the Getty.
The other day a rock slide occurred on Topanga Canyon Road, closing the southern entrance and exit to the somewhat "rural" village of Topanga Canyon, known as one of the last outposts of the classic Southern California bohemian hippie lifestyle.
Topanga is the name given to the area by the Native American indigenous Tongva tribe, and may mean "where the mountain meets the sea" or "a place above."
As of this writing, the road is still closed and the promise of another storm this weekend may lead to its remaining closed for a while longer.
This video travels South Topanga Canyon Road northbound from Pacific Coast Highway at the beach to the heart of the village where it meets Old Topanga Road. Recorded on 9/14/23, the day was warm and the road was clear.
The other day a rock slide occurred on Topanga Canyon Road, closing the southern entrance and exit to the somewhat "rural" village of Topanga Canyon, known as one of the last outposts of the classic Southern California bohemian hippie lifestyle.
Topanga is the name given to the area by the Native American indigenous Tongva tribe, and may mean "where the mountain meets the sea" or "a place above."As of this writing, the road is still closed and the promise of another storm this weekend may lead to its remaining closed for a while longer.This video travels South Topanga Canyon Road northbound from Pacific Coast Highway at the beach to the heart of the village where it meets Old Topanga Road. Recorded on 9/14/23, the day was warm and the road was clear.
Okay, so we're driving in the San Fernando Valley, heading west on Ventura Boulevard in the lovely city of Encino, when traffic stalls. In the distance, smoke arises from the line of cars ahead of us. The smoke competes with the bright late afternoon sun. There's a tragedy going on. Horrible. Horrible. Horrible.
My feet hit the sidewalk. My hands carry my camera. There it is: a gorgeous CORVETTE in FLAMES!
Firemen hurry to pour water over it. Policemen reroute the traffic. The smoke abates. The precious vehicle begins to smolder. Water falls from the wreck and slides into the gutters.
There's a car wash across the street. Is that ironic? This car will probably never see another washday.
An aggressive driver tries to pull too close to the emergency and threatens to drive over the water hoses. Authoritative shouts demand the driver to stop.
The Corvette's owner returns. A fireman asks him if he has anything of value inside to be removed before the fireman soaks the interior. Confusion remains. But the fire is out. The emergency is over.
We get back on the road and drive slowly past the scene. To this day I still wonder how the fire started, if the Corvette proved salvageable, and if Encino ever returned to normalcy?
(This incident occurred on Wednesday, September 14, 2016.)
Watching the sunsets from Westward Beach at Point Dume in Malibu can prove to be a genuinely ethereal experience. The "point" at Point Dume marks the top of the Santa Monica Bay crescent shape. Standing on the beach, one can see a northern coastal view not possible from most of the shoreline within the crescent. Add to this a fog covered mountain range and a sunset worthy of a painter's brush, then you'll find yourself in a little taste of paradise.
I have frequently driven a self-guided tour from Santa Monica, along Pacific Coast Highway to Topanga Canyon, to Mulholland Highway, into Ventura County, and stopping at Point Mugu. My return trip usually includes a drive along Westward Beach Road just south of Zuma, a jaunt through the residential areas of Point Dume, and a reacquaintance with Pacific Coast Highway to facilitate the drive home.
California Historical Marker on the site reads:
NO. 965 POINT DUME - On November 24, 1793, English explorer George Vancouver, commander of an expedition to determine the extent of settlement of the northwest coast of America, named this rocky promontory, Point Dume, after his Franciscan friend, Father Francisco Dumetz, at Mission San Buenaventura. Point Dume is the western terminus of Santa Monica Bay and has been an important landmark for navigators since Vancouver's voyage in 1793.
I recommend frequent visits to Point Dume. Check out the cove where the final sequences of THE PLANET OF THE APES (1968) were filmed and where the beach was clothing-optional in the 60s and 70s. Watch out for tides if you're wearing street shoes.
Okay, let's imagine we've finished our workout or left the theatre after the matinee ended or humped it down from UCLA to Westwood Village to find ourselves enjoying a cup of coffee at Alfred's while sitting on a seat at the window. Alfred's is located at the north-east corner of Westwood Boulevard and Lindbrook Drive. This historic building was originally a Ralphs Market. During my time at UCLA, the Bratskellar, a restaurant and bar, occupied the space. A huge roaring fireplace dominated the restaurant and the foyer had a telephone booth I used regularly. During rainy weather, this proved to be an excellent choice for drying out and getting wet (hehehe). Prior to this Alfred's incarnation, a Peet's Coffee rested here. Some say there's a link between Alfred's and Peet's, but I hear contradictory stories. Who knows?
Anyway, sitting at this window on a rainy day in Los Angeles, people watching (one of my favorite hobbies) can be a pure delight. I'm posting this video twice, once in real time and once in fast speed. You can decide which version works for you.
My favorite sequence in this video is watching a driver park his HUGE SUV in the red zone in front of the store, put on his hazard lights, walk into Alfred's, order a coffee drink, and finally return to his illegally parked vehicle. What's AMAZING to me is that he didn't get a ticket. Westwood Village has ALWAYS been a tough place to park and the traffic police are legion. Good for him! I hope he enjoyed his afternoon coffee. I did mine. (Black, no sugar or milk.)
If you enjoy this for people watching, ASMR, or meditation, or for just zoning out, ENJOY YOURSELF! This is another little bite of human history. Just think: a hundred years from now someone might watch this to get a glimpse of life in 2024. History is bad ass!
Okay, let's imagine we've finished our workout or left the theatre after
the matinee ended or humped it down from UCLA to Westwood Village to find
ourselves enjoying a cup of coffee at Alfred's while sitting on a seat at
the window. Alfred's is located at the north-east corner of Westwood
Boulevard and Lindbrook Drive. This historic building was originally a
Ralphs Market. During my time at UCLA, the Bratskellar, a restaurant and
bar, occupied the space. A huge roaring fireplace dominated the restaurant
and the foyer had a telephone booth I used regularly. During rainy
weather, this proved to be an excellent choice for drying out and getting
wet (hehehe). Prior to this Alfred's incarnation, a Peet's Coffee rested
here. Some say there's a link between Alfred's and Peet's, but I hear
contradictory stories. Who knows?
Anyway, sitting at this window on a rainy day in Los Angeles, people
watching (one of my favorite hobbies) can be a pure delight. I'm posting
this video twice, once in real time and once in fast speed. You can decide
which version works for you.
My favorite sequence in this video is watching a driver park his HUGE SUV
in the red zone in front of the store, put on his hazard lights, walk into
Alfred's, order a coffee drink, and finally return to his illegally parked
vehicle. What's AMAZING to me is that he didn't get a ticket. Westwood
Village has ALWAYS been a tough place to park and the traffic police are
legion. Good for him! I hope he enjoyed his afternoon coffee. I did mine.
(Black, no sugar or milk.)
If you enjoy this for people watching, ASMR, or meditation, or for just
zoning out, ENJOY YOURSELF! This is another little bite of human history.
Just think: a hundred years from now someone might watch this to get
a glimpse of life in 2024. History is bad ass!
On Monday 2/5/24, rain pounded heavily onto the streets of Westwood
Village in West Los Angeles amidst the historic movie theatres at Broxton
and Weyburn Avenues. Those who enjoy people watching may enjoy this
little taste of rainy L.A. Look for the little dog carried by a masked man
holding an umbrella and waiting for the signal lights to change. ASMR fans
can zone out listening to the subtle changes in the intensity of the rain
sounds. As a lifelong resident of L.A., the thing I like best about a
rainy day in my city: No squinting!
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