Musso & Frank Grill

Ah, the famous Musso and Frank Grill. The sign says it all. I don't know too much about this place, I've never eaten there...but....wikipedia has a write up on it.

LINK

And if you look in the background, you'll spot a future sign I'll post.

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Billy's Coffee Shop

I can't quite remember where I shot this sign. I know it was downtown, but I can't remember the streets. I like these types of signs, not sure if the lights still work, but I bet they did the old, "light up to the point of the arrow" in their prime. Looks kinda like a sign out of an old noir film.

"It was a dark and stormy night......my coffee cup was empty......and then She walked in....."



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Commercial Exchange

This angle was the only way I could get all of this sign in frame. How else could I get a 10 story tall sign on film? Anyways....I liked this sign alot. It's on the corner of 8th St and Olive....Downtown. It's seems to have quite a history, too. If you have the time, check out the NPR piece, a tour of La's Neon Link. I'm always interested in the history of these signs, so when I can find out more about them, I eat it up!

I also found this bit of info here. "The Commercial Exchange Building was 160 feet high. The building was an important part of the Downtown scene from its completion into the mid-1930s, serving as headquarters for the then-giant Owl Drug Co. It also contained the offices of author Edgar Rice Burroughs, creator of the Tarzan character."


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United Foods

Happy New Year!

I know it's been awhile since I've posted. No really great excuses...let's just say I needed a break from the computer when I'd get home from work. But I'm feeling refreshed from the holiday break and am ready to start up the posts!

About a month ago I met up with some friends down in Chinatown, for some Dim Sum. The food was good and so was this sign. Not too many other signs around, though I didn't explore the area too well.

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Fish House

Ah the Fish House. I snapped this shot as I was walking back to my car, in Downtown. I believe it was on Spring St.....but it could have been Main.....between 1st and 2nd. Unfortunately the storefront was empty, so I assume they were going out of business, and not getting ready to go into business. Anyway, I like this sign, you don't see the mosaic style too much, these days. And there was this really cool old man standing outside....waiting for the bus.

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Vogue Theater

I took a recent trip over to Hollywood. Walked up and down the main drag and snapped some photos. Here's the Vogue Theater. It's on Hollywood Blvd, but I can't remember the cross street. It still seems to be in business, though I can't remember who was on the marquee.


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Royal Wilshire

I went down Wilshire one last time the weekend before last. This would complete my drive from the Beach to Downtown. Inbetween Western Blvd and Downtown (right before MacArthur Park) there are a bunch of old Apt/Hotel buildings....each with their own giant neon signs. Some are in better condition than others, but they all looked great. This one is on Wilshire by South Rampart Blvd. Quite a large building itself. Really cool sign.

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West End

This was a peculiar sign. It belongs to this hotel...but the weird thing is the location. It's near the corner of Santa Monica Blvd. and Sawtelle. But it's a block up from Sanata Monica. So if you were just driving down the road, chances are you wouldn't see it. Maybe it's visible from the 405, but I don't think so. I guess it's not THAT weird, but you would think if someone owned a hotel they'd try to keep it on a main street. I dunno. I like the sign, though. It was one of the first that made me think, "I need to get these thing son film."

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Los Altos

This was one of many apt. buildings on Wilshire, between Western Ave and MacArthur Park. There were probably 10 or so of these old buildings, I assume still fully functional apt. buildings or hotels. I saw some construction next to this one, but I think it was just the lot next to it and not the building itself. I don't know what it is, but there's something about these signs, I guess it's because most apt. building don't have huge neon signs to advertise the building.... I know mine sure doesn't. But I've noticed aroudn that area and Hollywood, there are quite a few of them. Very cool.


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Hotel Rosslyn

This seemed like one of the few working hotels left around downtown. I know there are quite a few north of the central library, but this seemed to be one of the few originals. Maybe I'm wrong and it's only a few years old.....but I'd like to think it's pretty old. I think I shot this somewhere around Main St and 9th St.....maybe.


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King's Liquor

I shot this sign after I stopped to shoot a sign on the opposite side of the road. I think it's at the corner of Santa Monica Blvd and Stanford St. I like it alot, very festive, and how can you not like a sign that touts itself as the "party center"?

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Tower Theater

I took this picture when I was downtown a couple months ago. I took a couple hours and wandered around the dowtown area, snapping some pictures of all the old signs...which there were quite a few. Alot of these buildings are getting demolished, though. I'm sure if I had gone down there a year or two ago, there would have been even more. As they are renovating the many buildings, they're also tearing down the signs. A few of the signs I snapped that day were part of buildings halfway demolished. I'm glad I couuld get down there and record these, they'll never be seen again. Most are old hotels, and others old theaters. Downtown used to be the premiere center of Hollywood movies.....in the 1930's....but then everyone started moving out and soon left downtown to be just a business center that closes at 5pm. Oh well, I won't go on.

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Martini

It's been quite awhile since I've updated this, I know....I was VERY busy with work (probably the busiest I've ever been) and then I had the nerve to take a two week vacation to Italy. The vacation was much needed, and we had a wonderful time. I don't think I could describe everything I saw or did. It's a beautiful country and I only saw just a little bit of the northwestern part. Above is a sign in front of one of the many cafes in Torino. I took many, many pictures over there, but not so much of signs......and anyways, this blog's probably better off just showing LA signs, so I won't post any of my other photos. But rest assured (all 5 of you) that I'm back and should be posting reguarly as the weeks progress. I have alot more LA pictures in my arsenol. So stay tuned!

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Half Moon Motel

Sorry for the lack of posts....work's really taking a toll on me. But I've finally gotten a chance to post again. This is the final motel in that string of 4 on Sepulveda just below Venice Blvd. This one might just be my favorite out of all of them. I like not only the sign, but the way it looks against the stone wall. I've got this sign at another angle, I'll post that later.


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Comic Con 2006

Well, I know it's been a good 2 weeks since ComicCon ended, but I'm just now getting caught up. Work's been crazy. Shew! but I'm back for a brief entry. The image above is the last Frank Espinosa Sketchbook available at ComicCon. Frank was kind enough to let me have it and penned this great sketch that scolds me for not drawing enough. Here was the conversation (or what I can remember of it):

Frank: So what do you do, George?

Me: I'm an animator.

Frank: Oh? 2D or 3D?

Me: 3D

Frank: do you still draw?

Me: Ummmmmmm.......not so much as I'd like to

Frank: You should really keep drawing (furrowing his brow)


It was all in good fun, but still it's become that kick in the pants I needed to start up my sketchbook again.....so I have, and hopefully I'll be keeping it up to date, and maybe post it here. As long as work stays out of the way.

So thanks for everything Mr. Espinosa! You were a great person to meet and your comics are always inspiring.


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Beverly Laurel

This is a hotel off Fairfax Ave, on Beverly Blvd. It has a proper sign as well, but I thought I'd post this one first. I see these types of signs alot around LA....The name of the building in giant 3D lettering. I really like it, and I don't really see too much of it in more recent buildings (correct me if I'm wrong).

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Ice Skating

This is the sign in front of an ice rink on Sepulveda Blvd, in Culver City. I've always liked it, but what I really liked was this statue of a figure skater they had on top of the front awning. When I first moved here it had a really weathered paint job, almost like she was in a zombie movie or something, paint chipping off or still peeling, quite freaky. But since they have given the statue a new paint job, so she looks normal....Oh well, maybe it was scaring the clientele. I liked it, though.


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Canter's Deli

Although I know this is a pretty well known spot in LA, I thought I'd go ahead and post it. Some people might not know about it, or where it's located.....PLUS.....it's main sign is so cool, as well as the others. Too bad that stupid spiderman banner's in the way, I couldn't get everything in without having it there. Oh well. So this is THE famous Canter's deli, of which my friends have been by copious times late at night. I've never been there myself, but I heard it was a good diner and bakery. Their sign pretty much says it all, and I was delighted to notice the "Cocktails" sign later when I was looking at the photo....gotta love those. This was taken on Fairfax Ave, pretty close to Beverly Blvd, but maybe closer to Sunset, can't quite remember.


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Cars

I saw Cars on Saturday night at The El Capitan in Hollywood. I'd never been there before, so that was an experience in itself. They had this organ player and games, quite the production. BUT I got see The Ratatuille teaser, which I thought was great, and I got to see a movie I didn't think I was going to enjoy. I don't know what it was, but when I first saw the teaser for Cars I wasn't that interested, even leading up to the movie I wasn't that interested. Maybe it's because I felt disconnected from cars in general? I'm not really a car person, I thought maybe that's why I wasn't anticipating it like The Incredibles (I'm a comicbook guy). But I think I've finally figured out why I wasn't interested and now why I thought it was such a great movie. Because it was, and not just for my reasons, but artistically it was beautiful, some of the shots I felt my jaw drop, absolutely gorgeous, and the animation was spot on, but I expect nothing else from those guys, I always stand in awe of what they can accomplish.....I thought maybe because it's easier for us humans to empathize with an animal, rather than a machine, (i.e. dumbo instead of C3PO)? That's why I wouldn't like Cars...They're machines, I can't relate to that. But that's where Pixar got it right. By the end of the movie I felt like I knew all of them, I even found myself silently cheering (while the rest of the theater erupted) after Guido changed the tires so fast at the end race. I genuinely was cheering for him to show up the bad guys. I never would have thought I could do that for a car......But Pixar accomplished it, they breathed life into these otherwise inanimate (no pun intended) objects. So my hat's off to Mr. Lasseter and the whole crew up there. Way to get a non-car enthusiast interested in cars.

and I have only one word for you.....


"Pitstop!"


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The Wiltern

Sorry for the absence, been way too busy at work. But I managed to get this one up tonight. I still need to go out again and get some more pics, there's about 5 streets I want to walk down.....just need to find the time to do it. Anyway, here's the old Wiltern sign. Though I've never been there for a show, I hear it's a great place to see a band. Not only is the sign cool, but the whole building has a nice look and is painted the color of tarnished copper. Sweet.


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