Etan Does LA

#46: Culbertson House (Greene & Greene – Pasadena)

November 27, 2021

Across the street from the Blacker House is another stunning home by architect bros Charles and Henry Greene. Completed in 1913, it was the last major home they designed as a duo.

#45: Union Station (Downtown)

November 24, 2021

Architecture

A beloved landmark for travelers, architecture aficionados and culture vultures since it opened in 1939 Added to the National Register of Historic Places on November 13, 1980 I took these[…]

#44: Blacker House (Greene & Greene – Pasadena)

November 22, 2021

Architecture

Henry and Charles Greene's Blacker House is a residential work of art wrought with wood, brick and iron – and their prelude to the Gamble House. https://youtu.be/LjPKVCCM5K4 Added to[…]

#43: Mission San Gabriel Arcángel (San Gabriel)

November 20, 2021

Missions

Mission San Gabriel Arcángel is the grandaddy of LA historic sites. Legend has it that the 44 “pobladores” set out from here the day they founded Los Angeles in 1781. For three years, it was closed to visitors due to the pandemic and a devastating arson. On July 1, 2023, the Mission finally reopened, with a reimagined museum that tells the Mission's complex story of deracination and development.

#42: Burbank City Hall

November 19, 2021

Architecture

One of the few reasons to go to downtown Burbank: a streamline moderne masterwork of civic architecture Me @ Burbank CIty HallNRHP plaqueFountain detailBas relief sculpture @ Burbank City[…]

#41: Downtown Burbank Post Office

November 16, 2021

Architecture

A WPA-era post office building that turns dropping off a package into a trip into California's mission past That's a genuine grin. I love this post office.NRHP plaque @[…]

#40: Little Tokyo Historic District (Downtown)

November 15, 2021

Asians

Once the center of social and commercial life for LA’s huge Japanese community before the internment camps of WWII, Little Tokyo is now a business hub and tourist destination grappling with its difficult history.

#39: Million Dollar Theater (Downtown)

November 14, 2021

Architecture

Sid Grauman's original movie palace, opened downtown in 1918 – years before Grauman's Chinese, El Capitan and the Egyptian moved the movie industry's commercial epicenter to Hollywood Million Dollar Theater,[…]

#38: Angels Flight Railway (Downtown)

November 13, 2021

Transportation

The shortest railway in the world, carrying folks 298 feet up and down a downtown LA hill in the same cars since 1901 Added to the National Register of[…]

#37: Frank Lloyd Wright’s Storer House (Hollywood Hills)

November 12, 2021

Architecture

One of the master architect's four textile-block homes in LA, restored (re-Storered?) to its original glory.

#34-36: West LA Veterans Historic District

November 11, 2021

Architecture

Massive VA complex helping disabled and homeless military veterans since the late 19th century, including historic chapel & streetcar depot In honor of Veterans Day, my family visited the[…]

#33: Colonial House (Hollywood)

November 9, 2021

Architecture

West Hollywood apartment tower with a storied actor clientele, by architect-to-the-stars Leland Bryant https://youtu.be/DkHcn7vTfe8 Added to the National Register of Historic Places on April 15, 1982 Got $5500 a month[…]

#30-32: Zwebell Courtyard Apartments (Hollywood)

November 8, 2021

Architecture

A trio of fanciful, Spanish-influenced courtyard apartments designed in the '20s by the untrained husband-and-wife duo Arthur & Nina Zwebell Celebrating my return to the office for the first[…]

#29: Andrew McNally House (Altadena)

November 7, 2021

Architecture

UPDATE, 1/11/25: The Andrew McNally House burned down in the Eaton Fire that destroyed most of Altadena. Andrew McNally House entranceMe, my mom and the NRHP plaque at the[…]

#28: Zane Grey Estate (Altadena)

November 5, 2021

Architecture

The Zane Grey Estate is an inspired Mediterranean Revival home once occupied by the author of the classic western Riders of the Purple Sage