As the old story goes "There must be a pony in here somewhere," as we are gradually becoming out of all that these past many months have brought us, the term introspection comes to mind. We've definitely had a lot of time to reflect, to question, looking inward to what is important and outward to what is not.
It seems to me as a community observer for over 40 years, that having been holed up, restricted to our neighborhoods, to spending more family time than many ever had, to facing loss of family members, jobs, businesses and friends, the comfort and safety of home and having a sense of place has become more valuable.
A few of our community leaders share with us their vision of the future-a future that we know we are making. Rana Ghadbran, Kris Larson, Dwayne Gathers and Anastasia Mann share a bit of what they see for the central part of Hollywood. Michael Darling revisits our restaurants and the toll the pandemic took on so many. We rejoice that the venerable and beloved Musso & Frank Grill survived.
As this issue goes to print, the anticipation of returning to some semblance of our normal lives is building. Although central Hollywood is not experiencing its usual influx of visitors from around the world, there are millions of folks who live close enough for a day trip or those from the usual five-state drivable market who will soon be taking advantage of the sights and sounds of Hollywood. Anticipating our local attractions reopening, James Bartlett, uncovered some surprises.
Hollywood Heritage shares their concern for preserving Hollywood's historic infrastructure. As an update to the Hollywood Community Plan that will soon become the planning guide for the future, its president Brian Curran and his team of preservationists have prepared a treatise that calls on all who value Hollywood's character and, yes, sense of place, important to act and join in their efforts.
If you have been a devoted reader of Discover Hollywood, you certainly know where my heart lies. Our mission is and always has been to inform residents as well as visitors about the unique culture and lore of Hollywood. For the many years we've been involved with this community, it has been our highest goal to bring recognition to the history and importance of this place. It's remarkable that we have over 300 declared landmarks and over 1,000 structures that have been surveyed and are notable for their significance to the character of our neighborhoods, both flat and hilly. Few seem to realize that Hollywood Boulevard is a National Register Historic Commercial District and much of it remains intact.
Now, more than ever, as we've come through a calamity of unprecedented proportions, like other disasters, it's a time to rebuild. We've had time to think, now it's time to plan and to build our new Hollywood firmly on the foundation of its memorable past. We must not forget that we are the dreammakers.
And finally, a big thank you to our advertisers who have stood by us. For this issue, a significant number of businesses-big and small-contributed as sponsors. We are humbled by their support and their acknowledgement of Discover Hollywood Magazine and our mission to provide information to residents and visitors about the unique culture and lore of Hollywood.