Hollywood at Sunrise

During my recent trip to Hollywood over the holidays, of course I had no idea of the impending devastation that would be experienced as a result of the ongoing fires. While walking Willis one morning with camera in-hand, I was able to capture a gorgeous sunrise against the backdrop of some of my favorite buildings. Along Santa Monica Boulevard, the advice of this neon sign calls to mind the movie “LA Story” (iykyk).



A major bucket list item was checked off by capturing the Tail o’the Pup sign while lit:



(speaking of “LA Story” again!)



During the day, this pop-up ad for the Netflix film “Carry-On” looks like just another construction wall.



With the purple and pink hues of sunrise, it is much more appealing!



The Standard Hotel in West Hollywood has been closed for a few years, but appears to be in the construction phase for its next iteration. Has it been painted pink like the Beverly Hills Hotel down the street? No; this is just what the rays from a gorgeous sunrise can do to an otherwise bland off-white building.



I was ecstatic to see that the El Mirador Apartment neon sign was working again.



Even better at sunrise!



The historic 1930 Colonial House on Havenhurst:



I have no idea what this building at 8246 Sunset Boulevard is, but it provided a cool silhouette against the backdrop of the sunrise:



By the time I got back to the Chateau Marmont, the sunrise was almost over. Still, a hint of pink was cast over the mysterious tower at the top of the hotel:



One room I have never been in. Just add that to my bucket list.



The latest fire catastrophes in Hollywood and Los Angeles make me recall the horrible fires in San Diego back in October 2003.



One minute we were carving pumpkins, the next we were struggling to breathe clean air.



My heart goes out to all the residents of the areas in Los Angeles that have been affected. The devastation is unreal when you see the videos (the real ones, not the ones generated by AI - ugh). Whether it’s dollars, thoughts, prayers, or physical assistance, whatever you believe in and are capable of, send them the way of the people who are suffering.

See more Hollywood photos at my main website.

Chateau Christmas

The Lafayette Hotel in San Diego isn’t the only Daveland favorite place to get decked out for the holidays; the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood has tastefully put the red and green into their hallowed halls. When you enter this legendary landmark, you are greeted by poinsettias and wreaths.



Best looking poinsettias I have seen this season!



The entryway elevators just need a touch of mistletoe to complete the picture!



“Live” garland has been strewn around the stairwell rails. This must be hell to clean up!



The lobby desk:



In the lobby display, green surrounds the art and merchandise that will cost you some green to acquire:



In the bar/dining room area, more greenery:



The Christmas tree in the lobby restaurant which is my favorite place in the entire hotel:



The pool had its share of wreaths and poinsettias, too:



I dare you to find some that look better than these:



For brunch after my swim, the fluffy pancakes (which are truly fluffy, not just marketing speak) were accompanied by Meyer lemon butter. Off the charts sensational (note the famous Chateau bacon surrounding the plate).



See more Chateau Marmont photos at my main website.

Perkins at the Piano

This 1954 image shows actor Anthony Perkins (best known as Norman Bates in “Psycho”) tinkling the ivories at the Chateau Marmont hotel in Hollywood.



There is still a piano in the lobby restaurant at the hotel, in approximately the same spot.



This detailed shot reveals that it could actually be the very same piano; the ledge was added more recently, but the piano itself seems to have the same styling.



Sohmer & Company was founded in New York City in 1872, creating the first modern baby grand pianos.



The Sohmer family sold off the company in 1982 to Pratt, Read & Co., the largest American manufacturer of piano actions and keyboards, and moved to their facilities in Ivoryton, Connecticut. It appears that the company folded/went bankrupt some time in the 1980s/1990s. Samick Music Corporation, a Korean based piano manufacturer, now holds the rights to the Sohmer name, but no longer produces Sohmer-branded pianos.

UPDATE: The Chateau tells me it is not the same piano. Sigh…

See Chateau Marmont more photos at my main website.

Inside the Pink Taco

I have always been fascinated with the Pink Taco location on Sunset Boulevard, which sits next to my home-away-from-home, the Chateau Marmont. At one time, it was known as The Players, a supper club I wish I had been able to experience in person. You can read more about that 1940s incarnation at my previous post.



As for the history of Pink Taco itself, I visited their website. Below is the edited version:



Devoted to damn good tacos. Mexican cuisine has captured the hearts and palates of food enthusiasts around the world. One restaurant that has embraced the flavors and vibrancy of Mexican culture is Pink Taco. What started as a small-scale venture with a cheeky name has blossomed into a renowned restaurant chain. Pink Taco was founded in 1999 by Harry Morton in Las Vegas, NV, opening its first location within Hard Rock Hotel & Cafe. Inspired by the vibrant street food culture of Mexico, Harry envisioned creating a restaurant that offered a unique dining experience. In its early years, Pink Taco operated as a single location in Sin City. The restaurant quickly gained popularity, attracting locals, celebrities and tourists alike with its inviting ambiance, lively music, and delectable Mexican fare. Pink Taco prided itself on adopting a casual, fun-loving atmosphere that mirrored the vibrant energy of Mexican street markets. 

Below is a shot from my first visit to the Las Vegas (ala “Sin City”) location with my friend Illica, circa February 2003:

 

“Cheeky name” is right. If you haven’t figured it out, I’ll let you visit Google to see what it’s slang for.



Above: from my recent visit with Melissa, aka “The Colonel.”



I’ve always wanted to explore the restaurant to see if there are any architectural remnants from The Players days, but have never done so until my visit a few months ago.



This time, I had my camera AND the restaurant was devoid of guests, which made my snooping/shooting less nerve-wracking. I love the archways and REALLY love this door, which has an old school feel about it. Original? Who knows.



I do love the decor of the PT. Vibrant AND creepy!



At the Pink Taco, it’s Día de los Muertos every day!



I asked the hostess if I can snoop around upstairs. Not only did she say yes, she took me around herself. I doubt that her mother was even alive at the time of The Players, but that was ok. I didn’t care.



I can’t say I got a 1940s vibe, walking through the halls and going into each dining/drinking area (and there are many).



I did ask her if she had heard about the alleged underground tunnel that connected The Players to the Chateau Marmont and she said “yes.”



She’d never seen it personally, but heard that it existed at one time.



While it was disappointing to see virtually nothing left from The Players, it was still satisfying to have checked it out anyway. One less thing on my bucket list. As for Willis, he can’t get enough of this place. He loves to walk by it as he knows there will always be broken chips on the floor to sample!



See more Sunset Boulevard Pink Taco photos at my main website.

Jean Harlow At The Chateau Marmont

On the anniversary of actress Jean Harlow’s untimely passing in 1937 at the age of 26, I thought it appropriate to do a post about the room she inhabited at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood. According to Vanity Fair, she stayed in rooms 32-33 with third husband, Harold Rosson. Harlow expert, Darrell Rooney (co-author of Harlow in Hollywood), adds that Rosson had a house, but it was being rented so they rented this apartment at the Chateau to live in as man and wife, since Rosson refused to live at Harlow’s Beverly Glen residence. Rooney also believes there probably aren’t any photos of the star at the Chateau, as her “time there was marred by appendicitis and a hospital stay.” A photo of Jean, Rosson, and her mother and stepfather (below) is often referred to as having been shot at the Chateau, but it was taken at their private residence instead.



In probably the most reliable book about the history of the hotel, Life at the Marmont (1987) by former owner Raymond Sarlot and Fred Basten, it says this about her stay:

On the afternoon of September 20, 1933, a black Pierce Arrow touring car, its wire wheels reflecting the hot California sun, made its way up Marmont Lane and parked directly in front of the colonnaded entry to Chateau Marmont.…The newlyweds had come to the Marmont, bypassing the revitalized Garden of Allah and nearby Sunset Tower, in search of a honeymoon suite. It was Hal’s choice. He had had a soft spot in his heart for the Marmont ever since he learned of Albert E. Smith’s takeover. It was Smith who had given Rosson his first break in show business, hiring him as a teenage bit player with Vitagraph in 1908.…“Jean and I are going to love this place.” It was fifteen minutes later when Harold Rosson, accompanied by Ann Little [hotel manager], returned to his bride. With one hand,…Rosson jangled the keys to Suite 3BC. He followed the sweep of his arm, pointing to the third floor windows that stretched nearly the entire length of the Marmont’s north-south wing.…Ann Little invited Jean inside, but she declined. “I’ll take a rain check,” Jean sighed, sounding wilted. “I’d better get home [her Beverly Glen Drive residence] before I keel over.” She pulled a small square of chiffon from her handbag and dabbed at her forehead.…It would be a full week before the Rossons took occupancy of 3BC at the Marmont, but Jean didn’t wait that long to acquaint herself with her new surroundings. Less than twenty-four hours after Hal had signed the guest registry, a revitalized Jean appeared at the front desk. She was accompanied by a stately blonde woman and a suavely handsome man who identified themselves as Mr. and Mrs. Bello [her stepfather and mother]. “We’re here to look around,” Jean told Ann Little. “Is my rain check still good?”

While still retaining much of its charm from the 1930s, the Chateau Marmont has had a few renovations over the years. It is extremely difficult to find vintage interior shots of the hotel. As fate would have it, I connected with Dennis Lee Cleven in a Jean Harlow Facebook group, and he graciously supplied me with photos from his 1981 visit to one half of the Harlow honeymoon suite.

I was there way back in 1981 and it was refurbished after that. Apartment 33 is the one which cinematographer Harold Rosson and Jean Harlow lived during their 1933 marriage at The Chateau Marmont at 8221 Sunset Boulevard.

Is it just me or does this 1981 shot from Dennis make anyone think of “Come on knock on my door…” from “Three’s Company”?



How 33’s door looks today:



The living room, 1981:



December 2002:



April 2018:



A peak into the bedroom, circa 1981:



December 2002:



April 2018:



Dennis in the kitchen, 1981:



December 2002, with new tile:



April 2018:



Here’s where things get interesting. The entry hallway, circa 1981:



April 2018. The arches and fire sprinkler match up, but in the 1981 photo, there is a door at the end of the hallway; in 2018, it has been sealed up. This would lend credence to 33 once being connected to 32. Unfortunately, I have not stayed in 32 yet! Bucket list…



A closeup of the now removed door to…?



In my chat with Dennis, he was under the impression that the adjoining room was 34, not 32.

I stayed there in 1981 and I called the front desk and I asked which apartment was hers and he said the one I was in (33). One thing I have asked before is where did that door lead to down the hall? Did it go to a bedroom which is now apartment 34? I found it rather confusing back then and it’s a mystery that I've not solved. 

I’d like to solve it, too! I need to see logistically where 32 and 34 are situated in relation to room 33. Stay tuned!

UPDATE: Dennis just found a shot of the bathroom from his 1981 visit:



From my stay in 2002:



My 2015 stay:



And my most recent visit to this room in 2018:



See more Chateau Marmont room photos at my main website.