Ravin'

The Hollywood studios seem to be warming up to having more film premieres in Downtown Los Angeles. Better yet, they're more willing to premiere films in historic Broadway theaters, bypassing the glossy stadium seating at LA Live on the other side of Downtown.

The Raven is set to screen at the Los Angeles Theatre on Monday. Maybe I'll swing by and see if John Cusack has completely transformed into Alan Rickman.

Wool locker

Work has begun inside the old Woolworth's building on Broadway that's going to be a Ross. A contractor who had walked the inside let me know there was a stash of Foot Locker (the most recent tenant) referee uniforms still in there.

Hey, that reminds me of the Foot Locker spiel from years ago...you're about to buy a pair of stinks, and the cashier-ref asks, "Would you like shoe laces or shoe cleaner with your shoes?" Haha, the "Would you like fries with that?" of the shoe world.

Signima

Like most chain businesses, the signs for Famima convenience stores come in several different types. Look at the difference between the signs on the Famima at the Roosevelt building at 7th and Flower...and the Famina at the Arcade Building on Broadway, a short stroll away from each other.

Which design/scale is a better fit for an historic building? Does it matter?

7th St.

Broadway

Broadway

Schaber's Demoleria

I remember watching the Flintstones as a kid and being fascinated by Bedrock versions of cafeterias and automats. Sure, I hated school cafeteria food like everyone else, but a dine-in cafeteria in the middle of the city seemed like a whole nuther nanimal.

Demolition of the interior of the former Schaber's Cafeteria on Broadway in Los Angeles began several nights ago. This is going to be a new location of the Figaro restaurant based in Los Feliz. Hard to believe this was a first-class cafeteria in the 1930s and '40s...

You can kinda see the old tile on the wall

Come on rain down on me

We saw Radiohead in the rain (Rainy-ohead, if you will) at the Santa Barbara Bowl yesterday. Passed on a couple extra tickets to a nice couple of kids from Baltimore who said they had spent the day turning down ticket offers that started at $300 each. Damn rip-off scalpers.

Sculptural tribute to Jerry Garcia on the walkway up to the Bowl...the Deadhead dudes lingering around couldn't agree how Jerry lost his middle finger...too lazy to look it up, and I have to drive the Los Angeles freeways in rain now...

Feast your antennas

Happy Easter.

I find it interesting that the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, built for a price tag just shy of $200 million, would allow a cell phone company to install a cell site with antennas on the gift shop building. Can you spot them?

Aside from the fortress-like layout of the cathedral, I like the Moneo design, but I appreciate the bronze doors by Robert Graham even more. Something new I learned...Graham is buried under the cathedral in the mausoleum. One of these days I'll post up photos of Graham's public sculptures dotting Downtown Los Angeles.

Two Boots two toots

Two Boots makes some tasty pizza. I'm not convinced their little take-out restaurant under construction (actually a remodel of the old Husky Boy burger/pastrami/burrito stand) on Broadway will handle the flow of pizza fans, but maybe some sidewalk coordination will keep the merry crowds in good order.

Best design detail...the circular cutouts with the pizza window film...