JOHN-O 's Oct 16th TC Event (pictures, pg 3) - California Events

J JOHN-O Tiki Socialite Dogtown, USA Joined: May 16, 2008 Posts: 2721	J JOHN-O Posted posted on Sat, Oct 16, 2010 11:20 PM The Broadway historic movie palaces tour was great fun !! A big thanks to Laura of LA Conservancy for leading our group of 12 budding urban archaeologists. For those of you saying "JOHN-O, what's up with another non-Tiki event posted here on Tiki Central?", let me give you the Tiki-style connection. Tiki is whimsical interpretation of a native culture (i.e. Oceanic) now documented as a unique mid-century art form. The pre-Depression movie palaces (vaudeville actually) were a pre-cursor to that same intent of style. Note the side exterior of the Million Dollar Theater. This Spanish (Churriguera) architecture includes icons native to the American West like longhorns and bison heads. The Spanish Baroque interior was inspired by a Victorian fairy tale. The idea was to create a (pre-Walt) Disney environment for people to "escape" into. It was too dark inside for my flash to be effective, so here's an image off the web: Too bad so many of the other interesting places wouldn't allow interior photography. Several are now repurposed as churches, retail electronic stores, and jewelry marts. LA Conservancy describes this architectural phenomena as follows: "Decorative elements from a wide range of cultures and historical periods came together in fantastic combinations that prompted one critic to complain that 'no more pitiful degradation of art' had ever occurred than the 'prostitution of architecture in (the Broadway) movie theaters'. 'Taste and beauty', he concluded, were 'abased to the lowest degree.'" Sound familiar ?? :) Afterward the TC-half of the group went to pay our respects to nearby Clifton's Cafeteria. (Others headed to Wurstkuche for beer and sausages.) We retreated with lunch trays in hand to Clifton's upper level, currently decorated in Regency-style. The lower level is modeled like a fairy tale forest. Clockwise: My friend Marianne, Teresa (the first "T" of TNT), Melekalikimaka, TikiG, CalTiki, and Tim (the second "T"). Your humble tour organizer took the picture. I'm sorry so many TC'ers had to cancel. :( This level will soon be converted into a "Tiki" bar, paying homage I hope to the pre-Poly Pop Clifton's South Seas. Afterward the group split up for further downtown adventure. CalTiki, Marianne, and I rode on the recently reopened Angel's Flight, the world's shortest railway. Later I headed out to Tiki-Ti, which quickly turned into a "Who's Who on Tiki Central." :D [ Edited by: JOHN-O 2010-10-16 23:32 ]

The Broadway historic movie palaces tour was great fun !! A big thanks to Laura of LA Conservancy for leading our group of 12 budding urban archaeologists.

For those of you saying "JOHN-O, what's up with another non-Tiki event posted here on Tiki Central?", let me give you the Tiki-style connection.

Tiki is whimsical interpretation of a native culture (i.e. Oceanic) now documented as a unique mid-century art form. The pre-Depression movie palaces (vaudeville actually) were a pre-cursor to that same intent of style.

Note the side exterior of the Million Dollar Theater. This Spanish (Churriguera) architecture includes icons native to the American West like longhorns and bison heads. The Spanish Baroque interior was inspired by a Victorian fairy tale. The idea was to create a (pre-Walt) Disney environment for people to "escape" into.

It was too dark inside for my flash to be effective, so here's an image off the web:

Too bad so many of the other interesting places wouldn't allow interior photography. Several are now repurposed as churches, retail electronic stores, and jewelry marts.

LA Conservancy describes this architectural phenomena as follows:

"Decorative elements from a wide range of cultures and historical periods came together in fantastic combinations that prompted one critic to complain that 'no more pitiful degradation of art' had ever occurred than the 'prostitution of architecture in (the Broadway) movie theaters'. 'Taste and beauty', he concluded, were 'abased to the lowest degree.'"

Sound familiar ?? :)

Afterward the TC-half of the group went to pay our respects to nearby Clifton's Cafeteria. (Others headed to Wurstkuche for beer and sausages.)

We retreated with lunch trays in hand to Clifton's upper level, currently decorated in Regency-style. The lower level is modeled like a fairy tale forest.

Clockwise: My friend Marianne, Teresa (the first "T" of TNT), Melekalikimaka, TikiG, CalTiki, and Tim (the second "T"). Your humble tour organizer took the picture. I'm sorry so many TC'ers had to cancel. :(

This level will soon be converted into a "Tiki" bar, paying homage I hope to the pre-Poly Pop Clifton's South Seas.

Afterward the group split up for further downtown adventure. CalTiki, Marianne, and I rode on the recently reopened Angel's Flight, the world's shortest railway.

Later I headed out to Tiki-Ti, which quickly turned into a "Who's Who on Tiki Central." :D

[ Edited by: JOHN-O 2010-10-16 23:32 ]

Post #560154 by JOHN-O on Sat, Oct 16, 2010 11:20 PM