This Could Be Ours!

Our Spanish Revival bungalow, Mid-City, Los Angeles. Built in 1926

We recently took a trip to Palm Springs, California, home of Mid-Century Modernism architecture. I LOVE the style. I'm even more fond of a slightly more livable style that blended with MCM, called Hollywood Regency, also called Regency Moderne. I've read a number of books about the HR architectural style and I'm certain that we could transform our little Spanish Revival bungalow (1926) into a Hollywood Regency beauty!

A house very similar to our house. 8937 Ashcroft Ave., WeHo, remodeled by Larry Limotti and Ross Worsley in 1961-62.

We have a book called "Glitter Stucco & Dumpster Diving: Reflections on Building Production in the Vernacular City" by John Chase (2000).  In the chapter entitled, "How Can I Miss You When You Won't Go Away?  Convention Versus Invention and the Survival of Period Revival in Southern California"  and also the chapter called "Knocking Off The Knock-Offs" there's a wonderful discussion and lots of photos of Hollywood Regency makeovers from Spanish Revival style in Los Angeles during the 1960's and '70's.  There are some excellent pictures of the progression of these remodels.  This has given me the idea that we could definitely do this to OUR HOUSE!!!  There aren't any Regency style homes in Wilshire Vista.  Our house would be the first Regency in the neighborhood!  We would be trendsetters! 

Remodel in progress, Ashcroft Ave., WeHo

Completed Transformation. FABULOUS!

The landscaping for a Hollywood Regency home is big on upkeep. Check out those manicured post/bushes in front of the house! Also, an investment should be made in some white Grecian or Roman statuary.

The Ashcroft Avenue house in West Hollywood is STILL THERE, looking as beautiful, or even more lovely, as when it was remodeled in the 1960s. I LOVE that the owners added that Hollywood Regency touch to the new fence!

8937 Ashcroft Ave., WeHo today. LOVE the fence, gate and landscaping added!

Of course, it would be preferable to move into a home that is already this style of architecture.  Just transfer the money into my account to purchase a home in Trousdale Estates, LaDera Heights or Palm Springs! Thank you.

Disneyland, 1956

Click on photos to see larger version

Captain Hook's Ship @ Disneyland - 1956

Ellen, Roz and Kenny Bloom

These are pictures of a family trip to Disneyland, Anaheim. The original Disneyland opened in 1955. These photos are from January 1956. My Dad was never much of a football fan, so we always went to Disneyland on New Year's Day while everyone else was at home watching the Rose Bowl game on TV.

I was just a tiny little girl in these photos, my brother was around 10 or 11 years old. Since it was January, it was always cold when we visited the Park. I have a little kerchief on my head and I'm bundled up in my winter coat. My brother is wearing his favorite Balboa Blue Captain's outfit. He still likes to dress in costume!

The Junior Autopia, Disneyland - 1955, Ellen and Kenny Bloom

Notice how there's hardly any grown trees or plants around the Junior Autopia! It's amazing how vivid my memories are. Well, Disneyland is a vivid place, no matter what the year!

Valentine's Day, 2020

Valentine's Dinner at our neighborhood deli

Larry and I have a tradition of making home-made Valentines for each other. We've been doing this for almost 30 years. We started out with doilies, construction paper and paste. Over the years, with the advent of Photoshop, etc. we've graduated to digital Valentines.

Usually, we each choose a romantic or meaningful theme for our cards. This year, Larry chose the movie that impacted us both, "Once Upon A Time in Hollywood."  During the filming in the summer of 2018, Larry went to the sets on Hollywood Boulevard and photographed the extensive revival of 1969 Hollywood Boulevard. He took the shot below from a nearby parking structure.  Director, Quentin Tarantino's team totally brought back the Hollywood of our youth, including neon signs, store-fronts, automobiles, bus bench ads and more. Larry captured the neon of yesteryear and personalized it JUST FOR ME!

Click on photo to see larger image of Larry's Valentine for Ellen. I love how Larry inserted his 1969 high school photo in the oval frame, just like postcards from the past!

My Valentine for Larry this year was geographical too. I snapped a shot of LittleJohn's House of Toffee candy store at the Original Farmers Market and personalized it just for Larry! The motto written on a sign at the Farmers Market says, "Meet Me at Third and Fairfax." My little pun for LittleJohn's candy store is, "SWEET Me at Third and Fairfax!"

Ellen's Valentine to Larry, 2020

I included a small bag of English Toffee from LittleJohn's for Larry. The Toffee was perfect after our casual dinner at our local deli! I hope you had a great Valentine's Day too!

Yarny Hearts for Valentine's Day

I'm in love with this sweet little crocheted Granny Heart!

I LOVE hearts! I have heart jewelry, heart scarves, heart dishes and more. What's not to love about hearts? They are a living symbol of love. To inspire your creativity, I have listed some lovely heart patterns in crochet and knit for your Valentine Day viewing pleasure. Hearts are excellent all year 'round, not just for Valentine's Day! Click on the links for patterns.

#33 Heart Blanket by Noro

Sweetheart Cushion

Birdhouse of Love Dishcloth

Happy Valentine Hat by Amy O'Neill Houck

Go get your yarn, hooks and needles out and start making HEARTS! We need more love in our world!

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

Vintage Photo Friday - Picwood Theater

Picwood Theater, 1949

From the BibliOdyssey Blog: The Picwood was designed as a neighborhood theater by architect S. Charles Lee, built in 1948. The design epitomized the modern post-war aesthetic, which required simple lines, inexpensive building materials and quick construction to satisfy the post-war boom. The simple curved pylon was a landmark in the flat landscape of one- and two-story buildings. 

When I was a kid, this was a major hangout. The bowling alley and coffee shop next door to the theater was a meeting place for kids from the westside. One of the first movies I saw here was "West Side Story" (1961). One of the last was "The Jazz Singer" (1980) with Neil Diamond. 

This was a one-screen theater....so rare in today's movie houses. The seats were big and roomy. From the 60's thru the 80's, the decor was gold, modern and glitzy. You can see, by the photo below, that the curved pylon was shortened and the decorative panels with the dingbat starburst were added for a more modern exterior.

Artist's Rendering, 1948, Picwood Theater, 10872 W. Pico Blvd., WLA, 
corner of Pico and Westwood Blvds.

The "modernized" Picwood Theater. 1981, Photo from Richard Wojcik Archive

This entire complex was demolished in 1985 to make way for the extension to the Westside Pavillion Mall (which has closed and is being remodeled for offices). This extension still houses a theater complex (Landmark Theaters) and a few empty spaces, hopefully to be filled soon. Sigh.  I'll bet if the Picwood Bowling Alley were still there, it would be a huge neighborhood success! 

Our "Backyard," Roxbury Park

Roxbury Park, Beverly Hills, 1957

I recently came across this photo from 1957 of my brother, Ken  playing his plastic Mickey Mouse guitar at Roxbury Memorial Park.  It must have been Ken's birthday or some other family event.  We would often celebrate at the Park.  It was like our backyard.  We lived a block east of the Park on South Bedford Drive.  Also pictured are the men on my Dad's side of the family:  Uncle Hi, Ken, Uncle Mort, Great Uncle Morris and Grandpa Lawrence. I'm sure my Dad, George, took the photo.  Sorry for that fold across the photo!

No doubt, the guitar was a recent gift to Kenny.  I do love his super white high-top tennis shoes sitting on the grass and his calypso straw hat.  We shall call him "Calypso Ken" from now on.

The "Mousegetar" that is really a big ukulele!

One more Roxbury Park photo from 1956.  Looks like Ken is holding a camera.  I'm in a rather fancy party dress.  Ken is wearing his Balboa blue yachting outfit with a striped t-shirt.  Who knows what event we were headed to?  The photo is grainy (sorry) and we can see the tennis courts in the background. 

Roxbury Park, Beverly Hills, 1956

I'd like to get my hands on one of the Mouse-guitar ukuleles! I'll have to ask my brother how the sound was on it.