mosquito COAST

Greetings and Salutations, Race Fans.

It is I, yes I, yet again. Like normal, it is the end of a busy day in NYC and I am back in the hotel room listening to the crazy honking of at least 13,000 cabbies outside my hotel window here in the Big Apple. New York: Home of 10,000,000 People and at least as many smells. I "HEART" NY. However, cardiac arrest aside, I thought that I would give you part two of the MN-CA saga. We can call it mosquito COAST redeux if you prefer.

LA is just as large as NYC in terms of population. I heard some blowhard at LAX state to a traveling companion that Southern California is home to ten percent of the new auto sales in America (on average). I can believe it. If they want to increase the cash in the state coffers, they should charge hourly parking rates on the 405 or I-5. The traffic is almost on par with the crap I have been experiencing here in NYC today. I have had procto exams that seem to go faster than some of this traffic.

At any rate, one of the better reps that our company has a relationship with, took me to see __________ in the famous Bradbury (spelling?) Building. If you are a BladeRunner fan (and let's face it, have you ever met an architect that isn't?) this is the building where Daryl Hannah's Character waits for the toy maker dude. His apartment is in this building. When we walked in, they were giving a tour of the building. The attrium like interior shots are The Bradbury. The Bradbury is also in close proximity to a certain store that may or may not have sold a certain knife to someone who then used that knife to possibly murder the ex-wife and boyfriend of a once famous person. Or so goes the rumor that I heard. I don't know if the rumor is true, but tomorrow at breakfast I am going to have toast, coffee, eggs and OJ. Of course, I will go to my favorite breakfast spot (for those that have read the earlier post) at the Westway Diner.

_____________'s people were very cool. The two firms are working on a high profile job that really rocks. It's very cool to sit down with guys like this and talk about their projects. This is about as close as a guy like me can get to fan/hero type of stuff. I love associating -even vicariously- with people who are taking chances, thinking outside of the box, and being rewarded for it. This is doubled in architecture. So, along these lines...

I stalked Frank O. Gehry. Not really, but it felt that way. I used down time one evening to cruise by Frank's place in Santa Monica. This is something I do every time I am in the area. I don't know why. I am either psychotic (a very real possibility) and this is like those people who have to turn on and off the light exactly 12 times before they are "ok" -I need to go by Frank's house every time I am in Santa Monica. Or, or, OR... just kidding. Or, it could be that Frank reminds me that there is one good outcome of a potential three outcomes that I count if you hang your cheese way out in the wind. This time I stopped the car. Got out, crossed the street, snapped a snap and then quickly jumped back into the rented Toyota and cruised towards Venice beach. It reminded me of May Day when I was seven years old in Dickinson, ND and I left a washed out pint milk carton full of dandelions on Heather G's doorstep. I pushed the button, waited until I saw her face on the other side of the door, and then ran as slow as I possibly could while hopefully looking like I was running full bore. (She caught me and then, oh giddy joy, kissed me fully on the mouth. When I finally opened my eyes, she was a full twenty feet away from me.) But I digress.

A very similar silver Mercedes to the one he drives in the movie Sketches of Frank Gehry, was parked out front of the old chain link abode. I drove by and then went by the old FOG shop. (He has since moved the store.) It's cool to think about him with an office full of people and the big developer client and him coming to a conclusion one night that he should give up the commercial pursuit in the commercial sense and follow his heart. Which, in case you hadn't guessed, he did. The rest, as they say, is history. I wrapped up the F. Owen G. worship tour with a stop by one of my favorite projects of his: The lifeguard's house on Venice beach. Take the back roads and try to get on the one that takes you right down to the garage door (or back side) of this house.

Listen, let's take a short little break and talk about something that is important to our relationship. This is my blog and I love architecture. If you think this is silly, you may want to Google "Potato Love" or "New Trends in Knee High Socks". I won't say that I am sorry for this kind of blatant salivating over architects and their work. I know that in the end, like all of us, everything we make will turn to dust, but I also realize that architecture can and does inspire, motivate and even nauseate people. That's pretty cool... considering that we are talking about buildings. And, if you have ever lost yourself in the task of creating, or in reading a book, or in listening to music, then you know how cool that is. So, I want to encourage you to give into that little demon on your shoulder. You know the one; the one with the bow tie and the Le Corbusier thick round black glasses as he holds a pitchfork between his thumb and the first two fingers only. Give in to him and indulge your love for architecture. It won't hurt, I promise.

In the words of Ron Ramsay at North Dakota State University, "The editorial light is off." (But not really -this is a blog. Duh!) Anyway, I am getting a little long winded... better wrap this up soon.

I stayed in Pasadena while in SoCal. My first time. Let me say this to you: IF you are thinking about moving to SoCal AND you have a little more than a little cash, you could do a whole lot worse than Pasadena. I dig this town! Very nice with nice shops and available Mass Transit. This is saying a lot. This is LA. The words "Mass Transit" are almost akin to swearing in church. People in SoCal like to drive their own cars. However, you can take the metro from Union Station in LA right into Pasadena. I think that the stop is Del Mar, or something like that. The LA subway/light rail is some of the cleanest mass transit I have been on in the country. I don't know if this is due to newness or due to the fact that everyone is parked out on I-5.

Anywho, Pasadena is home to more than one G and G home... including the Gamble house. (http://www.gamblehouse.org/architects/index.html) Chuck and bro did some nice stuff. Although (and in spite of the fact that) Chuck Greene looked kind of like Groucho Marx. When in Pasadena, check it out. And, oh yeah, the Rose Bowl. And the nice neighborhoods. There is some serious cash in Pasadena. Some of these neighborhoods are so far beyond tract shacks and the dead-worm road plan that it makes you feel like retching. I wish the clients were all clients like Pasadena clients. (I wish they all were California clients, David Lee Roth and Eddie Van Halen. Sorry 1980's remake-slash-cover reference.) A thanks to Steve B for the tour of Pasadena and Greene and Greene.

The next day I jumped aboard Amtrack for San Diego where I was slated to meet another rep in the same rep firm. We had a gig with another firm down San Diego way. There was not a lot of time to see the sights in San Diego, but the ride down on the train was fantastic. Highly recommended. Go early in the A.M. and avoid the crowds. The trip back to LA was less fantastic because the train was loaded with people including children that were under the impression that everyone in the train car wanted to hear their stories... a lot like some bloggers you might know, huh? . .. GULP.

Ok. Thanks for reading this. Until next time -I appreciate it.

-G

Disclaimer: Mass Transit should never be mistaken for Mass... although both may contain Catholics. ALSO, The dead worm plan comment is not an endorsement of New Urbanism. Nor is it a condemnation. ISMs in general are not condoned or condemned. If I were to condemn dead-worm street plans it would be a condemnation followed closely by a condemnation of those that think New Urbanism holds all the answers. Of course, this would be followed by a self condemnation for being such a know-it-all.