Tag: adventure

Asking for Directions Georgia Style – Georgia

I am returning to Georgia again. This is an annual pilgrimage to see family and friends and to get in touch with my roots. I enjoy traveling in the South. It seems like a slower pace of life, people tend to really listen and be interested in what you say, and there is a genuine concern about you as a person. That is not always true, but that is how is seems. Returning to my home region also reminds me why I no longer live there. I will not mention the reasons but it helps put my current life in perspective. Yet, to be honest, the reasons (even in the time of Trump) to not be there are less and less, and the pull to be with my family members on a more constant basis is strong. Very strong.

I took the red-eye from LA to Atlanta on American Airlines. Good basic flight in 3 hours and forty-five minutes. Got charged $25 to check one bag (? Really?), then asked if I wanted to move seats to the exit row that would another $45 or to get on board first for another $32. Traveling on US based airline is like paying to be treated like crap. They say that they need to do this to be competitive. And I know that national airlines in parts of the world are under written by their individual governments sometimes, but could US based airlines just find a nicer and better way to treat us – the paying customer – like we were not sardines in a can?

Landed at Hartsfield-Jackson in Atlanta which I am always amazed at how busy and how well managed it is. I had decided to rent a car from Sixt, but instead of paying the extra 10% surcharge at the airport, I opted to ride the subway into mid-town and get the car at a mid-town location for about $50 cheaper. I have ridden the MARTA trains (Atlanta’s train and bus system) only a couple of time in Atlanta, but again I am impressed about how efficient it is. I live in Los Angeles and even though we are considered the second or third largest city in the USA, we are just starting to build our transportation infrastructure. There is not even a train that runs to the airport, and not to have a train that goes to the airport is ridiculous. There are 3rd world countries in Africa and South America that manage that feat, but not LA.

I came out for the subway at the North Ave station in Mid-town Atlanta and only had to walk a couple of blocks to find the rental agency. However, I had left my phone in my car in LA, so I was depending on the kindness of strangers for correct GPS directions. The first gentleman sent me 4 blocks in the wrong direction but I got turned around and headed correctly. I located the SIXT mid-town office in the bowels of the Georgian Terrace Hotel although a sign would be nice. There is no indication anywhere on the building or inside the building to let you know that a car rental office even exists here.

My next task was to locate a T-Mobil phone company office to get a temporary phone. I located one near I-85 in Union City as I head south out of Atlanta to my first stop in Bainbridge, GA., to see my old friend for college, Pamela. When I found the office, it was 8:45 AM and the office did not open until 10 AM. There was someone in the store, but they would not let me buy a phone until the store officially opened. While I was standing in the parking lot trying to figure out what to do for the next hour, the manager Michael Smith invited me in and got me taken care of in about 15 minutes. I am very thankful to him for his great and very kind service to me in a time of great need.

Now Bainbridge is in the south-west corner of Georgia just above Tallahassee, FL. The best and most direct way to Bainbridge is take I-85 south toward Birmingham, then I-185 to Columbus, GA., and then after that to take Georgia  27 and 520 further south after Columbus. Highways 520 and 27 run together for about 50 miles and then they split, and you should follow 27 at that point. The whole journey should take about four and half hours. I still had not taken the time to make sure my GPS was working correctly plus I was driving in the middle of a torrential late-Spring rain storm where I could not see 5 feet in front of me sometimes. Long and short of it, I missed the turnoff for GA 27 and continued along 520.

When I realized that I was off course, I stopped at a rather large convenience store dressed up to look like a back-country store with fake barrels everywhere, and rocking chairs placed along the long veranda on the front of the store. After buying some supplies for the road, I asked the woman behind the counter how to find a connecting road to 27. She pointed to an old farmer type guy on the veranda, and said to ask him because he knew all the roads in the area. I grew up in this part of the world so to see a man wearing overalls, chewing tobacco, and standing around to wait for the rain to stop in the middle of the day is very normal to me. However, I was not quite ready for the dramatic effect that this particular encounter would involve.

What follows is the exact conversation (with spitting included).

Me – “Excuse me, sir. The lady inside said that you might help me get back over to 27. I am head to Bainbridge and missed the turnoff a’ways back. I saw Highway 45 cuts across to there. Can you tell me how far to the turnoff for 45?”

Him – (Spits)“You going to Bainbridge?” (Spits).

I should also explain at this point to anyone not familiar with the practice of spitting tobacco that you usually carry a cup with you to spit into at least while in public places. Not this gentleman. Right on the sidewalk in large brown spatters of brown juice.

Me – “Yes sir.”

Him – (Spits) “You don’t want to go that way.” (He spits and points towards the way I had come) “You want to go back up there to 41 and turn right.” (Spits)

Me – “Well, 27 is in that direction.” (Pointing west which is the opposite direction.)

Him –  (Spits) “Oh that 27. (Spits again) Then you want to turn left. (Spits again) If you go down to 45 that will take you more out of the way. So go back to 41. (Spits) You follow that for six, seven, maybe eight miles and you will come to this sharp curve to the left, real sharp. (Spits) In the middle of the curve, you will find a road to the right. Take that road. Chain Gang Road. Led you right to 27. (Spits)

Me – “Back to 41, turn left, look for the sharp curve to the left and take the road to the right. That correct?”

Him – (Spits) “Yep. Go seven, maybe eight. I think it is seven miles, but it could be eight. And take that curve. (Spits) It is really sharp to the left, I mean real sharp and you will see the road off to the right. Don’t miss that one cause it goes right to 27.” (Spits)

Me – “Well, thank you sir. I appreciate it.” I start to walk to the car, but the rain in unrelenting.

Him – (Spits) “Yeah you want to take that 41.” He spits again and the entire conversation repeats again. He would repeat the same information while spitting two more whole times as I tried to avoid the tobacco juice. Finally I could escape to the car and I made a beeline. As I sat in the car with no good option, I was unsure of what to do. I still did not know where 45 crossed my highway or I could follow the back-wood directions of my new friend.

I opted for the back-wood direction. Nothing was as he claimed, but I am blessed with a decent sense of direction, and I knew where south and west were so eventually I found highway 27 and followed it to Bainbridge in time for lunch.

 

 

10 day Georgia/North Carolina trip – In Progress – Atlanta, GA

In Atlanta this morning for a 10 day trip around Georgia and North Carolina. Stay tuned for new stories and blogs.

https://www.facebook.com/ATLairport/

 

#tripswjames

 

THE LIONS OF MATUSADONA – MAKING A RECOVERY? – Guest Blog

THE LIONS OF MATUSADONA – MAKING A RECOVERY?

“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” ― Mahatma Gandhi

Matusadona National Park (MNP) once supported Africa’s second highest density of lions. The plentiful grasslands on the foreshore of Lake Kariba provided for swelling herds of buffalo and consequently the lions thrived. Yet, following fluctuations in lake levels and increases in poaching, the buffalo herds disappeared, quickly followed by the lions. The last census of lions in 2005 suggested just 28 individuals (down from nearly 90 individuals in 1998) remained on the valley floor and concerns have since been raised as to the populations long term viability.” An extract from the ALERT (African Lion & Environmental Research Trust) website.

The beauty in a lifetime is to live your passion and the reward in that passion is having a purpose : Rae Kokes embodies this.  Her work as Principal Researcher on the Matusadona Lion Project sees her collaring, tracking and monitoring these magnificent creatures and her intimate knowledge of each pride member located within this vast national park is phenomenal.  When she speaks of the lions her connectivity to them is almost palpable.

With the return of the buffalo and more plains game, the lions are growing in number with two new litters being recently sighted this month. There have also been sightings of lone male lions that are moving into the area which will add to the gene pool if breeding takes place.

A network has grown among the camps, lodges, MAPP (Matusadona Anti-Poaching Unit) and the National Parks Authority.  All are collectively reporting the sightings of the lions, their spoor or recent kills to the centralised Matusadona Lion Project.  The Project also aims to work on a community driven conservation strategy for all of the area’s wildlife and not just the lions.

The combined efforts of all involved are a definitive and positive step which works towards the understanding of lions, the impact of the changing environments they live in, both natural and human, and our ability to ensure that their existence is a given for the next generation to enjoy on an African safari.

There is an expression in Shona (Zimbabwe’s main local language) – tiri tose – meaning “we are together”.  Witnessing the synergy, commitment and passion of all involved in the Matusadona Lion Project I believe that the lions of Matusadona National Park will have a tomorrow.

Written by Mel Mostert, Travel Consultant for Vayeni Escapes (https://www.facebook.com/melaniemanuel.mostert)                           (story used with the permission of Vayeni Escapes-info@vayeni.com)

Peace and Quiet at Lake Hollywood – Los Angeles

Right in the middle of Hollywood, under the world-famous Hollywood sign lies a truly beautiful and peaceful lake known as Lake Hollywood or the Hollywood Reservoir. The reservoir is located in the Hollywood Hills, which are part of the Santa Monica Mountains just north of the Hollywood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. It is maintained by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power.

The reservoir was created by the Mulholland Dam, built in 1924, designed by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, then named the Bureau of Water Works and Supply, as part of the city’s water storage and supply system.

The surrounding recreational area is known as Lake Hollywood Park, and is open for walking, hiking, and jogging. The reservoir is encircled by a flat, paved road that is suitable for walking and bicycling.

This 3.5-mile loop circles a peaceful fence-enclosed reservoir in the hills below the Hollywood Sign. The lake has several coves and inlets that give it a natural look. When standing on the Dam/bridge on the opposite side from the lake side, you get a sweeping view of Hollywood through a thick pine forest.

There are at least 3 entry points to the Hollywood Reservoir. The northwest gate is easily accessible from both the 101 freeway and Burbank. Just follow Barham Blvd. to Lake Hollywood Drive. Follow the winding road up to the top of the hill to the intersection of Wonder View Dr. and marvel at the wonderful panoramic view of the lake and the dam with Los Angeles in the background. Start down the hill to the gate, and you will find available roadside parking on both sides of Lake Hollywood Drive. The proper address to find the North Gate is 2600 Lake Hollywood Dr., Hollywood, CA 90068.

A second entry point to the lake would be the Weidlake Gate. This is an alternate gate located on the Hollywood side of the lake. This South Gate has a nice parking area but it is full of ruts and pot holes so be careful. It is right next to the dam which is the most scenic spot of the lake, but getting there is more difficult. Take North Cahuenga Blvd. to Dix St. Left off Dix Street is Holly Drive and follow that up into the hills until you come to Weidlake Dr. Follow Weidlake to the end and you will find the parking lot, the gate, a porta-potty, and the scenic dam.
 The third entrance point is off of Tahoe gate off where Lake Hollywood Dr. meets up with Tahoe Drive. The entrance is the eastern most gate and the parking is limited to available spaces in the neighborhood. You can reach Tahoe gate by a few different ways that take you up Beachwood Canyon Drive. But the easiest way is to follow Lake Hollywood Drive past the North gate, continue around the lake for about 3/4 quarters of a mile and you will find the Tahoe gate. (pictured above)
 

A landslide forced crews to close portions of the trail in 2005. The road to the east of the reservoir reopened in 2009, but the western side remained closed for repair work until 2013, forcing walkers, runners, cyclists and anyone else who entered the area from the East Gate off Lake Hollywood Drive or Weidlake Gates to turn around instead of completing the loop.

The landslides occurred after 35 inches of rain saturated soil along the perimeter road. The slides damaged private and Los Angeles Department of Water and Power property, requiring $9.5 million worth of repairs on the hillside and road.

Source: http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/Lake-Hollywood-Reservoir-Trail-Loops-Gate-Reopening-202512361.html#ixzz4gunC9VdR

Lake Hollywood is closed at night. The gates are open Monday through Sunday, sunrise (about 6:30) till sunset. Be careful in the winter months because the sun sets early and so the park closes earlier as well. They lock the gates and it is really hard to get out. I have been stuck inside for an hour after closing myself. LADWP does have a guard who stays and checks the locked gates for knuckle-heads like me, but they are not pleasant about it. There are signs with the specific times for opening and closing at each gate so check those before you start out. Also dogs are not permitted on the Lake Hollywood trail at all.

(Research for this story is courtesy of Wikiapedia, NBC LA, Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks.)

Storrier Stearns Japanese Garden – Pasadena

On a wonderfully beautiful Los Angeles Sunday, my friend and I drove up the 110 and got off on Orange Grove Ave., and turned left toward Arlington Drive. We were going to visit and hopefully experience the calm and beauty of the Japanese Gardens.

HISTORY OF THE GARDENS

The property was originally owned by Charles and Ellamae Storrier Stearns, who were wealthy patrons of the arts and cultural heavyweights in the civic life of Pasadena. In 1935, they hired a famous Japanese landscape designer named Kinzuchi Fujii to construct a formal Japanese garden with a Tea House on their 2 acre lot. Now most formal Japanese gardens are rather small in square feet but a chance to create such a huge canvas for his work was something he could not pass up.

So starting in 1935 until 1942 when he was taken away to an interment camp for the Japanese during World War II, Fujii worked on the garden for the Stearns. During the 7 years of construction, the Stearns would invest more than 150,000 dollars into the project. First Fujii had to remove two tennis courts and dig out areas for the two koi ponds and waterfall. By moving tons of dirt around the lot, he was able to construct a hill area where there was none, two large ponds, and areas for the tea house and contemplation. The garden was so unusual that it became locally famous. It is the only example of a formal Japanese garden created before the war that still exists in Southern California. However, like the rest of Fujii’s gardens in the Los Angeles area which are all gone now, things did not look good for this garden site.

Ellamae died in 1949, and the mansion and property were put up for auction. Gamelia Haddad Poulsen, an art/antiques dealer, attended the auction for the Storrier Stearns estate. She was hoping only to buy two Louis XV chairs. However, when she realized that no one was bidding on the whole property, she impulsively made a bid. To her amazement she ended up as the owner of the entire estate. She sold off parts of the estate but kept the garden and an area to build a new home for her family.

In 1975,  Caltrans used eminent domain to seize a strip of property on the easternmost side of the garden for use in building the extension of the 710 freeway. An easement was also taken, since expired, to create an access road for trucks to use during the future construction of the freeway. It would have sliced directly through the middle of the garden.

Believing that the garden was lost, Gamelia let it fall into disrepair and sold off some of the valuable artifacts. The final blow came when the teahouse burned down under mysterious circumstances in 1981. Gamelia died in 1985 at which time the garden ownership passed to her son and daughter-in-law, Jim and Connie Haddad.

The garden continued to languish until 1990, when the Haddad’s decided to restore the garden to its former glory. Progress was slow through 2005 until Dr. Takeo Uesugi, professor emeritus of landscape design at Cal-Poly Pomona and one of the leading experts on Japanese garden design in the United States, undertook the management of the garden restoration. To ensure the restoration was accurate, Dr. Uesugi followed Kinzuchi Fujii’s original plans, documents and photographs taken during its first construction.

On February 15, 2005, the restored garden was placed on the National Register of Historic Places and listed as a California Historical Landmark on the California Register of Historic places. Additionally, the garden was recently awarded a Historic Preservation Award, in a ceremony in the garden, by the City of Pasadena.

NOW

The Haddads still maintain the garden and it has become a culture center in Pasadena for meetings, weddings, events, and afternoon strolls. It now features an 11 foot high entrance, two large interconnected ponds, two water falls including a 12 foot high that falls into the larger pond, and a new tea house to replace the one that burned down in 1981.

The garden is open every Thursday from 10 AM to 4 PM. The fee is $10 for adults and $7.50 for children 12 and under. They feature different jazz musicians on the 2nd Sunday Jazz series (check the website – www.japanesegardenpasadena.com for the schedule) and they are also open the last Sunday of every month. During the 2nd and 4th Thursday, they offer a Japanese Tea Service where you learn the history and meaning of the traditional Tea service. See the website or call for reservations.

ADDED BONUS

Right across the street on Arlington is Pasadena’s Arlington Park. Such a beautiful well-maintained public park filled with old and mature California friendly plants which make up quiet and restful areas all through the park. Well worth the drive just to see this park for free. But the combination of Japanese culture and California plants, it a beautiful day not to miss.

Enjoy!!

(Much of the information in this article was taken from the Storrier Stearns website, www.japanesegardenpasadena.com.)

 

Road Trip to Nowhere – Death Valley and Palm Springs

I was looking forward to driving up to Death Valley from LA during Easter weekend and catch a bit of the desert super bloom before it was all gone. I have lived in California for 30 years and had never been to Death Valley. I had passed the turnoff to it many times has I drove up to Mammoth on US 395 but I had never turned right on to California 190 to see where it goes. But this time I was.
Entering Death Valley National Park

So on Friday morning I got up early and packed. I ran a couple of errands and managed to get on the road by about 11 o’clock. I wasn’t pushing it too hard and drove up Interstate 5 to California 14 that goes through Palmdale and Lancaster across the high desert until it meets up with 395 at Bradys, California. Then about 25 miles later, the turnoff for California 190 appears on your right. It was about 3:30 PM and I stopped to get some gas before heading into the Valley. On 190 you drive about 15 miles and meet up with California 136 coming south from Lone Pine. The two highways merge and you follow 190 further in driving through gulleys and gulches between solid rock formations, and always the immense sky above you.

High Desert from California 190

Just before you begin your descent into the Valley there is an observation point off to your left and from there you get how dramatic the drop is into Death Valley. I recommend that you stop here to see the amazing view because from that point you will drop about 4100 feet over a distance of 9 miles. You are leaving the high desert at 4000 feet above sea level and dropping down to 100 feet below sea level.

View down into Death Valley
Now I have a fear of heights and California 190 is like most old state highways that go back to the thirties and forties. They are almost always narrow 2 lane roads built on the edge of a mountain or cliff with no guard rails. They wind back and forth, and snake around so much that you wonder sometimes how they’re were even built there in the first place. And if you are riding in the outside lane it is possible to look out and see nothing but a 2000 foot drop and no guard rail. For me that starts to trigger my panic attacks, but as long as I am moving forward I can pretty much keep it under control. Yet, that particular Friday, someone decided that it was time to do some road work on the highway and traffic was stopped in certain places and began to back up.
Inyo Mountains toward Dusk

I took the 15 to the 215 through San Bernardino picking up the 10 East on its way out to Palm Springs. Driving into town about 9:30 PM, I decided I would treat myself and stay at a great hotel. and I pulled into the Hyatt Palm Springs only to find that it was the weekend for Coachella, the huge fashion-conscious rock festival held out in the Coachella Valley area every April. According to the receptionist every hotel in a 100 miles was full that night.

The Urban Wine Trail -Santa Barbara

On a cold wet rainy Super Bowl 2017 weekend, I decided to get out of Los Angeles and head north. I usually stop off in Ventura – the old town part – because of a favorite hotel, a couple of good restaurants and the thrift and furniture stores. But this time I decided to keep going north to Santa Barbara.

I’ve been going to Santa Barbara since the early 1980s. First time I went to Santa Barbara there was still a stoplight on the 101 freeway at State Street. If you were headed north and you turned right on to State Street it took you into town, the cultural and economic center of Santa Barbara. If you turned left and headed towards the beach you passed a couple of hotels, the train station, a couple of beach bars and made it to Cabrillo Street. Right in front of you was famous Sterns Wharf and the long open park which runs along the beach famous for the weekend art and crafts market. All the famous restaurants that are there now were there than as well including the first Sambo’s and the Santa Barbara Fishhouse.

And as you went down State towards the beach off to your left was an old run down warehouse district full of old buildings and tiny houses that hadn’t been torn down when the neighborhood changed from residential to commercial. This part of town was full of contractors, sail makers, and boat yards. The business that worked on the boats that came into the marina and back out again. It was very industrial and pretty run down.

Now Santa Barbara has been going through some amazing changes in the last 40 years but I really had not stopped in Santa Barbara for any more than a couple of hours in the last 10 years. I’ve always been going farther north to Pismo Beach, San Luis Obispo, or even further north. I had not stopped for more than lunch, but now I was going there for the entire rainy Super Bowl weekend.

I checked into the Avania Inn, a nice place about two blocks from the beach that I found on the Trivago for a good price. I unpacked, walked around on the beach for bit, and went back to the room. After a quick shower, I went out for dinner at the Enterprise Fish Company on State Street. It is not the greatest restaurant in the world but their fish is always fresh and their wine list it pretty decent. Plus it’s always a very popular place to go meet and talk with people specially while seating at the bar. After that I started walking around the area and I stumbled on to the Santa Barbara Urban Wine Trail. Now the full Urban Wine Trail extends to all parts of Santa Barbara and I have placed a link to a map of the tour here. http://urbanwinetrailsb.com/the-trail-map/

Yet, I wanted to focus on the 20+ wines and tasting rooms featuring Santa Barbara area wines you can find in a four block radius in an area between the 101 and the Beach, and State Street and Garden Street. Plus among those tasting rooms you can also find at least three or four craft beer breweries, and some excellent eateries including Loquita, an upscale Tapas bar that is outstanding.

Now if you’re into wine tasting, you’ve probably been up Napa Valley or down to Temecula. And at these wonderful areas, if you want to go to a lot of wineries you usually end up being part of a wine tasting tour, or you rent a limo,or you have a designated driver because if you have been sampling wines at more than three or four wineries, you should not be driving California highways. Yet, if you’re into the Santa Ynez wines, the wonderful thing is you can sample a wine at one tasting room, walk out the front door and go down three doors and find another tasting room. Some are owned by an individual winery and others are tasting rooms that feature wines that are presented by a collective of wine makers. These collectives feature a person working behind the counter who doesn’t favor one wine or over the other, and you can taste up to four to five different wineries at one time.

You will find 14 wineries or collectives featuring San Ynez area wines in this former industrial area. Here they are: Area 5.1 Winery, Babcock Winery, Ca’del Grevino, Cottonwood Canyon Winery, DV8 Cellars, Fox Wines, Kunin Wines, Laford Winery, Municipal Winemakers, Oreana Winery, Pali Wine Company, Riverbench Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara Winery, and The Valley Project.

Also in the same area, you will find Figueroa Mountain Brewing Company, Brass Bear Brewing and Bistro, Corks and Crowns, and Lama Dog Tap Room for the hops connoisseurs. Plus eateries like the Lark, Lucky Penny, 7 Bar and Kitchen and Helena Street Bakery.

Go have a wonderful time – eating and drinking while walking!!

 

 

Culver Hotel, Part 2 – The Infamous Munchkin Hotel – Culver City

Sources used for some parts of this story are – Wikipedia, Hollywood Babylon, LA Weekly, Daily Mail, Scott Simon, The Guardian.

After opening in 1924, the Culver Hotel soon gained a reputation as an excellent hotel for visitors to the Culver City area and MGM Studios. In 1939, it would gain an even more notoriety for housing all 125 of the “little people” who played the Munchkins in The Wizard of Oz.

The Wizard of Oz was then the last word in 1939 special effects, make-up, set design and costumes, not to mention the highpoint of Judy Garland’s career. The 17-year-old child star plays the little Kansas girl Dorothy, who with her dog, Toto, is whisked away by a tornado to a fantasy land where she follows the Yellow Brick Road, kills the Wicked Witch and meets the powerful Wizard. And every step of the way, she is followed by “the Munchkins” as she goes on her adventures over the rainbow, meeting the Tin Man, the Scarecrow and the Cowardly Lion in the Kingdom of OZ.

The film called for as many as 350 “Munchkins” to be cast. In L. Frank Baum’s 1900 novel The Wonderful Wizard Of Oz, he described the Munchkins only as shorter than usual in stature and clad from top to toe in blue.  The studio did not want to use children for the parts, and could not find enough small adults in the Hollywood area.  MGM decided to use real dwarves, or “little people” as they were called in the 30’s to play the Munchkins. In fact, all the Munchkins were played by genuine circus midgets, whose colorful contribution to Hollywood history has never been forgotten. In its search, MGM advertised all over the country, auditioned tiny choirs – the midgets had to sing – visited circuses and sent out talent scouts.

The task of assembling as many as 350 ‘little people’ to act in the movie fell to a man named Leo Singer. Born in Germany as Baron Leopold Van Singer, he had put together a troupe of touring midgets who took part in vaudeville shows all over Europe. By 1938, he had gathered a stable of 100 tiny performers and was based in America. MGM drew up a contract with him to provide as many midgets as were needed to film. As soon as word got out, seemingly every little person in the country arrived in Hollywood by bus and train looking for a part. Singer was put in charge of them all – looking after their lodging, food and attendance on set.

Of course, managing the midgets was never easy. Many did not speak English and sang in thick German accents. Some of those who knew most about performing were from Germany, but had been forced to flee the country by the Nazis’ doctrine of ‘social hygiene’, which demanded the elimination of handicapped people. About 170 came from New York and had very little professional experience of show business. Some had never been away from home before and were keener to let their hair down than work. Their only qualification was their height – in some cases they stood no taller than three feet.

These little actors might have been vertically challenged, but they were exceedingly tough. Most were old enough to have learned how to survive in New York or in Europe during the years of the Great Depression. And when they arrived in Hollywood in 1938, to be cast in one of the most prestigious films ever, it marked a distinct improvement in their fortunes.

Los Angeles was in the midst of its gilded heyday. Stars such as Jean Harlow and Katharine Hepburn had a huge following, while the love lives of the swashbuckling Errol Flynn and Charlie Chaplin were already legendary. This was the height of Hollywood as Babylon. Sex and glamour was the name of the game and the “little people” wanted their fair share. Naturally, as soon as they had money in their pockets, their behavior did not improve.

For although their antics on screen brought joy to generations of children, behind the scenes they astounded everyone with shocking episodes of drunkenness, depravity and wild sexual propositions from which no one was safe. Wild stories began to emerge. There were rumors of wild evenings with rooms ransacked and drunken midgets swinging from the rafters. One horrified observer described them as “an unholy assembly of pimps, hookers and gamblers”.

A rather unimaginative 1981 movie, Under the Rainbow, starring Chevy Chase and Carrie Fisher, attempted to bring the legend to life — and failed. That hasn’t stopped Wizard of Oz fans from smiling at the thought of a hotel overrun with members of the Lollipop Guild. (LA Weekly)

“You had to watch them all the time,” observed Jack Dawn, the make-up artist on the film. Because they were so small, it was easy for other members of the cast to make the mistake of treating them like children. Predictably, their reaction was to do everything they could to disabuse their colleagues of this notion.

“They were adults,” recalled Jack Dawn firmly. “They did not like us touching them or lifting them into their make-up chairs. They insisted on climbing up by themselves.” If the film-makers thought full-sized stars had attitude, they had seen nothing yet.

The final count of people needed for Munchkin parts settled at about 125. Singer made a deal with the Culver Hotel to house the “little people”. They began to arrive in November of 1938. The hotel found that they could place three to a bed because they were so small. They could put them sideways and almost get them all here.

It turned out to be one of the biggest collections of little people to date at that point. Julie Lugo Cerra, who’s the honorary historian of Culver City, recalls, “Many of them, like Jerry Maren, who eventually settled in Los Angeles, who was a Lollipop Kid, had never seen another little person in his life before. They came to Culver City, and they thought it was wonderful to see so many other little people. Most of them had lived in areas where they were the only ones, so they were the exception. They were not very well accepted by society, and so it was wonderful to be with their own.”

Certainly, the normal urges of many of the assembled midgets emerged during the shooting of The Wizard Of Oz. We have to remember these were adult men and women, and they became bored after hours cooped up in their hotel. So often, they drowned their sorrows.

“They were drunks,” Judy Garland would recall later. “They got smashed every night, and the police used to scoop them up in butterfly nets.”

Cast members were astounded to hear they were holding ‘dwarf sex parties’ in the famous Culver Hotel. “They got into sex orgies at the hotel and we had to have police on every floor,” producer Mervyn Le Roy remembered afterwards.

Meanwhile, Bert Lahr, who played the Cowardly Lion, noted that “assistants were ordered to watch the midgets who brandished knives and conceived passions for normal-sized members of the cast”.

There were stories that the “little” women would proposition studio electricians, while one who called himself The Count was never sober. “Once, when he was due on set, he went missing. Then we heard a whining sound coming from the men’s room. He had got plastered during lunch, fallen in the toilet bowl and could not get out.”

Certainly, some of them seem to have resorted to boosting their earnings by pimping and whoring – and indeed begging. As many pointed out later, they were being paid far less than anyone else on the film – including Toto the dog. Many of them had vile tempers, too, so much so that one even tried to kill his wife.

Yet, Julie Lugo Cerra is not so sure that the rock star/Roman orgy scene is the true image. “No, I don’t think they trashed the hotel rooms. They were having a very good time and they celebrated a lot. They worked very hard,” she maintains.

She recalled one story about her father who owned a radio store at the time in Culver City. “He said they were all over the place. And they would pile them into cars, and they would be even under the dashboards because you could get so many in. So it – I’m sure it was a hysterical scene, I’m sure that they had a very good time, and I’m sure that most of them remembered it for the rest of their lives.”

“They got their star in the Hollywood Walk of Fame recently. And they love coming back to Culver City,” points out Ms. Lugo Cerra. “They were here in the ’90s for a reunion – they do this every once in a while. And there’s probably nobody who doesn’t know about the Munchkins, and there’s probably no one who doesn’t love them.”

 

The Culver Hotel – Old Hollywood Glamour in Culver City – Los Angeles

You are ready for a night on the town, but you would like an upscale place so you can dress up like a real adult. A place with no cover, live jazz, great drinks, friendly bartenders and elegant, historical architecture, does such a place exist anymore? Yes, Virginia, it does. It’s the Lobby Bar at the Culver Hotel.

Music playing is an integral part of the Culver Hotel experience. As the evening begins, the hotel’s Grand Lobby transforms into jazzy supper club. Vintage armchairs, classic movie projections and up-and-coming artists help create an ambiance of old Hollywood and modern times helped along with handcrafted cocktails, tasty fare and musical pleasure. You can order a ‘Good Witch’ or a ‘Cucumber Mule’ cocktail while you sit back and enjoy different interpretations of Jazz, every evening of the week after 7:30 pm. Shared appetizers or a three course dinner are just an order away. (Culver Hotel)

Alternatively, If you are in the mood for something equally “Culver-esque” but with a more contemporary playlist, go past the lobby and up the stairs. You will find the Velvet Lounge reminiscent of a 1920’s ‘Speakeasy’ with a twist of Parisian boudoir. Chic and eclectic, dark and whimsical, The Velvet Lounge is open Thursday through Saturday after 8pm and offers plenty of secluded corners to enjoy a cocktail, wine or bottle service. (Culver Hotel)

TripAdvisor.com calls the Culver Hotel the # 1 Hotel in Culver City. The Lobby Bar is a popular place where 30 somethings and older like to hang out because of the atmosphere and the drinks. The price range for food is between $11 ane $30 per person. I would judge the food good, but not great. They do take reservations and have take-out available but do not do delivery. They accepts all major Credit Cards, and while the dress cord is casual, the ambiance is classy. There also is a wonderful outdoor patio which also features the full dinner menu and drinks. Valet parking is right outside, while there are city parking garages within a short walking distance.

HISTORY

The Culver Hotel is a national historical landmark in downtown Culver City, California. It was built by Harry Culver, the founder of Culver City, and opened on September 4, 1924, with local headlines announcing: “City packed with visitors for opening of Culver skyscraper.” Originally named Hotel Hunt, and later known as Culver City Hotel, the six-story Renaissance Revival building was designed by Curlett & Beelman, the architecture firm behind renowned Art Deco buildings throughout Los Angeles, including downtown Los Angeles’ Roosevelt and Eastern Columbia buildings. (Wikipedia)

But the hotel is most famous for its long and tangled history with Hollywood and its stars. Built in 1924, the property has also housed countless Hollywood legends over its 90-year history. And Greta Garbo, Mickey Rooney, Ronald Reagan, Judy Garland, and Clark Gable are just a few stars who actually maintained part-time residences at The Culver Hotel. Charlie Chaplin was even the owner for a while until, legend has it, he lost the property in a poker game to John Wayne. Dwight D. Eisenhower even had a campaign office in the hotel during his run for President in 1952. Modern celebrities who have stayed there include all 4 members of the boy band 98 Degrees, Abby Lee Miller of Dance Moms, Countess Luann de Lesseps from Real Housewives of New York City. (Wikipedia)

The Culver Hotel may not be an A-list actor herself, but she has appeared in the background of close to 80 projects. The historic hotel has been used in The Wonder Years, Cougar Town, The Last Action Hero, Marvels Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., and many more. Numerous television shows, movies or commercials shoot in and around Culver City, and the hotel’s exterior and interior have stood in as a street in London, an apartment in Barcelona, and a café in Paris. (Travel and Leisure)

During the 1960’s, the hotel began to decline and fall into disrepair. In the 1980s, it was boarded up for a time and at risk of demolition. In the 1990s, the hotel was partially restored and reopened, joining the National Register of Historic Places in 1997, but the Culver Hotel’s modern comeback truly began after a hotelier family bought the ailing property in 2007. Since 2007, the hotel’s entire plumbing and electrical systems have been upgraded, each of the guest rooms and public spaces have been redone, all 140 handmade windows in the guest rooms have been replaced, and the public spaces have been entirely re-imagined all the while maintaining the property’s architectural integrity. The flatiron-shaped building is next door to the historic Culver Studios and a few blocks from the former Metro Goldwyn Mayer Studios (MGM), now Sony Pictures.

Casts from movies like Gone with the Wind and The Wizard of Oz stayed at the hotel during filming, including the more than 100 actors and actresses who played the Munchkins in the Oz film. (wikipedia) Which will lead to another column about the Culver and its notorious place in Hollywood history which earned it the nickname, the “Munchkin Hotel”.

Culver Hotel is a must see for Hollywood History, and a great nightspot in Los Angeles!

Hours For the Hotel

Mon 7:00 am – 12:00 am
Tue 7:00 am – 12:00 am
Wed 7:00 am – 12:00 am
Thu 7:00 am – 1:00 am
Fri 7:00 am – 2:00 am
Sat 7:00 am – 2:00 am
Sun 7:00 am – 12:00 am

 

The Open Road – Guest Blog – Zimbabwe

The Open Road by Melanie Mostert

(shared courtesy of Mel Mostert at Vayeni. com. The original blog can be found at this address – http://www.vayeni.com/blog/. The article is about Norma Jeane’s Lakeview Resort in Masvingo (Great Zimbabwe) near Lake Mutirikwe located in south-eastern Zimbabwe.

When you travel a new silence goes with you and if you listen, you will hear what your heart would love to say.” – John O’Donohue

This quote perfectly summarises the feeling I have on a road trip.  There is something about driving to a destination that allows you the time to disconnect fully and gradually have the environment you’re going into to wash over you.  That and allowing your body the time to adjust to the change in temperature.

This past week, I had the opportunity to travel to Great Zimbabwe. It IS October and, therefore, hot (!!!!) and dry.  There is beauty in every aspect of this land even when she is dry and barren, the promise of tomorrow’s greenery is just below the surface.  Although there were security checkpoints en route the police officers were friendly and actually provided humorous relief on the 4-hour drive to Masvingo.

A pitstop in Masvingo reminded us all that we were famished and as this was an adventure, we stepped into a local establishment to try out authentic Zimbabwean fare (sadza and chicken) and walk through their town square which is decorated with antique tractors and train engines.

The drive into Norma Jeane’s was a welcome relief simply because she presents herself as an oasis with lush green lawns and abundant flowers. Being gorgeous in her simplicity and unpretentiousness, this was a delightful beacon at the end of the road.

After a quick freshen up, I braced myself for the tour of Great Zimbabwe Ruins.  The time of day, I believe was perfect, 4.30ish – sunset over the ruins what more could you ask for?  The climb was quite arduous.  The view from the top of the King’s Kraal breathtaking!  I was struck by the ingenuity and industriousness of the people that constructed this city.  The sun began to set and I stood (for a moment taking on the mantle of royalty) as I survey this kingdom of year’s gone.

On our return, to Norma Jeane’s a welcome and refreshing shower which I very quickly followed up with a sumptuous dinner.  The almost full moon shone down on the path as I walked back to my lodge.  A magical ending to this day.

Mel Mostert was born in Zimbabwe and raised on a cotton farm in Shamva until she was 8 years old.  She immigrated to Switzerland where she primary schooled and returned to Zimbabwe as a teenager.  Prior to leaving Switzerland, Mel and her family traveled the entire country.  Upon returning to Zimbabwe, they embarked on the same kind of trip to re-familiarize themselves with their country.  It was these adventures that gave birth to her wanderlust and also her passion for her country.

 Mel has worked in and around the tourism industry since she was 20 years old.  She joins the Vayeni team fresh from being Reservations Manager, Camp Hostess for VIP groups and Temporary Camp Manager at a luxury safari camp on Lake Kariba.  She continues to still have the same enthusiasm and love for Zimbabwe and the region as she always has had.

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