Issue: Spring 2012

Letter from the Editor


In the Spring, “renewal” is a familiar topic.   Here in Hollywood where we’re constantly reinventing ourselves, renewal is a continuous process. 

One of the wonderful things about Hollywood is that not only are we continually evolving technically, or renewing ourselves, our population seems to be always in an ebb and flow with new arrivals on a daily basis.  They come from around the country and the world to study at one of our many schools or are recent grads coming to make their mark and gain a foothold in the most difficult of industries, showbiz.  However, they all have one thing in common--need a place to live and most want it to be in Hollywood.  With an amazing and eclectic choice of apartments especially with the thousands of new units that have been built over the past few years.  But, when you talk to someone who wants to experience the essence of this place, they look for the old, the “guess who used to live here” places seeped in Hollywood lore.  Even with the new apartments, someday they will also have their place in Hollywood lore. We’re happy to share some of those places with you in this issue.

Anyone I’ve met or has read my articles have little doubt about the love and the passion that I live and breathe about this place called “Hollywood.”  I always distinguish the place from the business—the industry, yet it is that promise, the promise of success, fame and fortune that is also part of our DNA.  This April, the tourism industry will converge in Los Angeles for its annual Pow Wow, the #1 annual gathering of our #2 industry after entertainment, tourism.  We welcome the delegates and wish each of them much success.  In this issue, they’ll find “Discovering Hollywood” included especially for them.            

But if you’re here for a day or a few hours, don’t miss the experience that awaits you at one of our boutique museums—the small, but significant Hollywood Heritage Museum that focuses on the very early formative years that’s housed in the barn where the first full length feature was filmed by Cecil B. DeMille and Jessy Laskey 100 years ago and the must-be-seen-to-be-believed Hollywood Museum housed in the former Max Factor Building.  With its 10,000 pieces of memorabilia including costumes and props from this year’s Academy Award winners, James Bartlett’s article takes us on a tour.  Not only do you get to see the Max Factor make up studios specifically designed for beauties of the day, the floors above are jammed packed with incredible treasures.

So as our subtle California Spring arrives, we are reborn, renewed and once again excited about the future and what blockbuster the next season will bring.  That’s Hollywood!