The Chicken Place

This is my first video blog post. Notice the way the women that work at The Chicken Place eye my camera suspiciously, but say nothing. I also love the painting of the cherubs basting the rotisserie chicken. It is a must visit if you are ever near Bailey's Crossroads.

5519 Leesburg Pike x Gorham, Fall's Church, VA (703) 931-3090

Valentine's Day: Hearts and Skidmarks

I saw this great skidmark heart on the sidewalk on 4th St SW between Jefferson Dr and Independence Ave outside the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum. Have a hot Valentine's Day.

Hot Words has moved to Washington, D.C. Loving and leaving Los Angeles was difficult, but I'm excited to start driving by capital architecture and finding events and coincidences. Thank you all for reading and commenting.
XOXO

Loving and Leaving: the Best of Los Angeles

Family Books- A self-proclaimed curated bookstore owned by the same brothers that own the Silent Movie Theatre (below). Spectacular collection and events, sometimes in tandem with the theatre.
436 N Fairfax Ave x Rosewood

The Silent Movie Theatre- Not just silent movies! The Cinefamily programs films that will amaze you, go any night and be delighted.
611 N Fairfax x Melrose Ave

Show Pony- I am a show pony, so I've bought lots of clothes from Kime Buzelli. One-offs and small labels, great costume jewelry, and delicious girly artwork.
1543 Echo Park Ave

Coco de Mer- Forget Trashy Lingerie and the Pleasure Chest, this is the ultimate erotic boutique. Go with a lover and have him or her sit in the confessional and watch while you model sexy little nothings. Also- great books, accessories and workshops.
8618 Melrose Ave x Huntley Drive

Cinefile Video- The best video store I've ever frequented. I used to live around the corner and I went every day for years. Sometimes twice a day. Staffed by real (friendly) film geeks with movies organized into categories with inventive names.
11280 Santa Monica Blvd x Sawtelle

The Way We Wore- My go-to vintage boutique. I want so many things, gowns and suits especially. If you'd like to buy me presents, this is a good place to start.
334 S La Brea Ave between 3rd and 4th streets

Thompson Hotel- The rooftop bar at the Thompson Beverly Hills is my favorite rooftop on the West side. I saw Victoria and David Beckham at Kate Beckinsale's birthday party here.
9360 Wilshire Blvd x Crescent Dr

The Oviatt Penthouse- At the top of the first Art Deco building in LA (1927), it is undeniably the best location for a party I have ever seen. It also has my favorite rooftop downtown. You can rent it out for $3,000-$5,500 a night. The building was designed by Walker and Eisen and features more than 30 tons of Lalique.
617 S Olive St x 6th St downtown

RetroSpecs & Co- Simply the most wonderful sunglasses boutique I've ever been to. All frames are restored vintage eyewear. Prices range from around $300 to several thousand dollars. Be prepared.
8629 Melrose Ave near Pacific Design Center

Galco's Soda Pop Stop- It's beverage heaven. A whole grocery of vintage indie pops, sarsaparillas, ginger ales, root beers, egg creams and cream sodas. Go buy one of everything.
5702 York Blvd in Highland Park.

Bagel Broker- The best bagels in LA. Best best best. Always crowded in the mornings.
7825 Beverly Blvd x Orange Grove Ave

La Brea Bakery- The only French baguette I buy in LA. You must go to the original bakery, next to Campanile. Say hello to George and Michelle for me. Also- try the little feta pie, pain au chocolat, and great overpriced sandwiches.


Milk- My summertime ice cream parlor featuring ridiculously delicious homemade ice cream sandwiches and drumsticks. They make couture ice creams too, just pick your flavor. Also- truly great double chocolate cookies.
7290 Beverly Blvd x Poinsettia Pl.

Papa Cristo's- Excellent casual Greek restaurant and grocery with easy parking (free valet at night). Great place to go with a few friends for an early dinner, since they close at 8pm. Papa Cristo will most likely take your order at the counter. There's a big dining room and patio seating as well. Nick says, "It's the best Greek food I've had since I got back from Crete."
2771 W. Pico Blvd x Normandie


Cafe Jack- Coffee or tea in a Titanic (the movie) themed atmosphere. I love it. Plus: bell service, free Wi-Fi and smoke anywhere you like.
508 S. Western Ave x 5th St in Koreatown.

Bay Cities Italian Deli- Best sandwich and bread hands down on the West side. During the lunch rush, be prepared to wait. Completely worth it. Also- pre-prepared lasagnas, great selection of olive oil and other imported specialty foods. Open til 7pm most days, Sunday til 4pm and closed Mondays.
1517 Lincoln Blvd x Broadway in Santa Monica.

A Visit: New York and DC in Pictures

At PS1, my reflection in the rotating Eliasson. And a few more:




The view of Columbus circle from the Museum of Art and Design:


A metal tapestry by El Anatsui at MAD:

I spent some time immersed in the Rist piece at MoMA. That's Heather in the foreground, an actress (and great conversationalist) that I met fortuitously while lounging on the seafoam circular seating. She gave me two passes to the Whitney, so I could see the Calder in Paris show. Heather will appear in 2009 in the film "Father vs. Son".


The incredibly ornate Petrossian building:


On Christmas day, at the dry docks on Grass Island in Greenwich, CT:


Jet trails by the monuments in D.C.:


"Hoodlum" by Cecily Brown at the Hirschhorn:


Me in front of an installation (I didn't take the name/artist) at the Hirschhorn:

Ravenswood: Mae West Territory

Ravenswood has always been a star attraction of the Rossmore corridor, and attracted multiple starlets to its hallways, including Ava Gardner and Mae West. When Mae West moved into unit #611 the men, the booze, and the shenanigans would follow. When her neighbors complained, she bought the building and tossed them out, filling it instead with heathens and lovers. She lived there until she died in 1980.



Ravenswood was built in 1930 by architect Max Maltman and remains an exceptional art deco mammoth. Its size and the narrowness of Rossmore made it difficult to get a decent photo. So I took a page from Mae West's diary and had an adventure with a stranger. On a rooftop.

This is Geoffrey, jazz singer:



We met on the street, and he escorted me up seven flights of stairs to the rooftop accross from Ravenswood. We climbed up ladders and stood at the top of Hancock Park with an incredible view in each direction. The sea of palms stretched out to the West like a tropical Central Park and I could see a ribbon of silver Pacific. In the end, I scrambled up another ladder, and dangled over the edge of a mansard roof to get the picture at the top of this post.
Have an adventure today. Have one every day. Meet strangers on rooftops.
Drive by Ravenswood at 570 North Rossmore.

Christmas Update Special: Youngwood Court

Christmas has come to the House of Davids (Youngwood Court). I saw the Porsche-washing guy from last time decorating Mr. and Mrs. Claus in the front yard. I took the opportunity to ask him about the crazy lady who pursued me after my first round of photography. He didn't know anything about her and denied that she was a neighbor.
Drive by 304 Muirfield Rd on the corner of 3rd St in Hancock Park.

La Fontaine

La Fontaine with it's sedate brick, hipped roof and manicured garden always reminds me of a friend's chateau in Normandy. The profusion of pseudo-French architecture in LA began when WWI soldiers returned stateside and started building replicas of chateaux they had seen in Europe.
Built around 1930 by architect Leland Bryant (also responsible for the Sunset Tower Hotel), it became an historic landmark in 2002. A succession of comedians have inhabited La Fontaine: Steve Martin, John Belushi, and Dane Cook, who was recently evicted for letting his dog defecate in the garden. He's gone now, so feel free to pursue an apartment (around $5,200/month).
La Fontaine at 1285 Crescent Heights Blvd on the SW corner of Fountain in West Hollywood.