Walking LA

Nobody walks in LA – well that is the cliche at any rate. Thanks to a number of good books, many of us venture far from our neighborhood and explore on foot.

I have slowly been making my way through Secret Stairs, this past weekend I revisited walk #38, Universal City- Happy Trails. Only one set of Stairs up and another down. I would consider this the very eastern end of the San Fernando Valley, but residents prefer to think of this as West Hollywood Hills.  Either way, there were interesting things to see.Jewish star on a Spanish style house? Well that is the way I see it.I don’t think this house would get building permits today.  Looks like there is a small front door at street level as well as a very steep staircase up to the main level of the house. Not sure what style this is, European miss-mash?There is an inscription over the garage door, ‘Huset Karl Bygget Dorthea’ Which many mean House Charles has built for Dorothy – in Norwegian. Which also may explain the look of the house.Other wonderful details, are these trolls or elves holding up the small window box balcony? Nordic either way.

Further on we come across this.Yes, even in the nicest parts of town you will find houses that have fallen so far into disrepair that they are derelict empty  shells. And now we come to something I love – a whole house covered in mosaic. The life long work of George Ehling. Started in 1927 and still being worked on today. I know this because a few years ago when I first took this walk, I met a young man who rented a room in the house.  He told me that George asked for rent in cash so he could buy more materials (he is working on the interior now) and for some physical labor as well. Since George is no longer young.  I guess the house was built in 1927, but George didn’t start the mosaics until latter.I think some of the work was done by workmen when the house was build, the bands around this tour look like they were installed with the building, but many other features, like the window sill were added latter.

And now, for something completely different.These strange looking homes,  surround the end of a canyon.  There are probably about 20 of them along the rim, being supported by massive girders to the hillside. I’d be scared to live in one of these. Yes they have survived many an earthquake. But I still remember the 1994 Northridge Earthquake. A similar house on stilts on another canyon off Beverly Glen Blvd,  fell off those kind of foundations and landed on a house underneath it – killing a 5 year old girl.

Ok,  enough of the morbid talkWho doesn’t like unicorns, I for one would be happy to see one crossing by.

The same house has a very successful hanging succulent garden. Those are not easy to maintain. Often it is easier to simply replant every few months.I love this, remnants of another long gone house, but the look of this is more like the entrance to a secret garden out on some country road. Not in the middle of Los Angeles – practically overlooking the very busy 101 freeway.

To top it off, we stopped into an open house. Being looky-loos in 2 million dollars homes in Los Angeles is always fun. No, I didn’t take any pictures, but this was a lovely old 1930’s home that was renovated and brought up to the standards of a more modern home. It had a lot of character. I’m happy to say, I love my house, but it is always fun to peek into other peoples homes.