"The Land Alone Is Worth MILLIONS!" -Tom LaBonge Upon Being Asked About The BUILDING Ablaze

R.I.P Laemmle Building 1931-2008
We Knew Ye, But Hardly Cared

For The Obituary Click Here

Doin' It Up Right! LA Style!

I was one of those sappy sentamentalists who was rather pleased that the Christmas (or X-mas, or Santa, or whatever they are calling it this year) Parade was wrested away from the "frugal" clutches of KTLA and would once again go down "Santa Claus Lane" as it was supposed to and always had (celebrated in popular song, in fact), rather than the sleazy part of Sunset, just so the station didn't have to spring for a remote. That small pleasure lasted until Johnny died.

So I dug up this old Postcard from Christmas, 1938 out of my collection.....

....and the picture here is from the Chamber of Commerce website, taken just a couple of years ago...

....and compared them to this last one I took myself a couple weeks ago at "Hollywood's Satan Parade" (SP?)...or "whatever they're calling it this year..."

I guess if it isn't a cheezeball, coke spun nightclub, raking in millions from posuers with more money than class or brains, The City really doesn't see where some establishments fit in on "The New" Hollywood Boulevard.

Or maybe they know EXACTLY where.

If La Bonge can figure out that an empty corner of Hollywood and Vine, freed from all preservation requirements is valuable (see May 2nd Post), he can certainly figure out that some places don't bring in that much money, for themselves or the city, and should be treated accordingly.

Treated like...Well, like someone who's not cool enough to get passed the vacuous velvet rope controlers in front of The Roosevelt Hotel (?!) It can just stand out on Hollywood Boulevard in the cold, surrounded by crappy tourists and stench.

That makes The Baby Santa cry.