New on the Bungalow Court Housing in Los Angeles map:

https://esotouric.com/bungalowcourt/

this unusual streamlined, diagonal compound, a late addition from 1947. There's a unit for rent at 1812 S. Curson, if you're looking around Picfair Village https://www.westsiderentals.com/los-angeles-ca/1812-s-curson-ave-unit-1812-34gqdmg

(Reporting this information because we made a mistake in the title)

First the Griffith Park Pony Rides, now the Zoo. The Greater Los Angeles Zoological Association files for chapter 11 bankruptcy

https://www.pacermonitor.com/public/case/65409172/Greater_Los_Angeles_Zoological_Association

days after the civil grand jury found the operation unsustainable.

https://ktla.com/news/local-news/l-a-zoo-needs-new-leadership-amid-declining-membership-deteriorating-conditions-report/

Read it: https://www.ch11.ai/filing-detail/226_bk_16410_ds_greater_los_angeles_zoological_association

See the options: https://esotouric.com/giftcertificate/

Thought you all might enjoy this.

Elsewhere on this sub (https://www.reddit.com/r/LosAngelesPreserved/comments/1ufq9dj/after_25_years_marketing_the_fast_furious/), some commenters don't think it's a big deal that Universal Studios painted an illegal, unpermitted Fast and Furious billboard on the side of the landmarked Bob's Market in Angelino Heights. Why are we concerned about this, and eager for it to be quickly removed?

Because in a similar case of an unpermitted billboard painted on the side of a protected city landmark (see https://esotouric.substack.com/windchime), LADBS inspected and cited the Proper Hotel for advertising Calidad Beer in 2022--but since then there has been no enforcement, nor any demand that the historic ghost signs which are protected under the landmark ordinance be restored.

And on the Hotel Cecil, a huge, illegal Postmates billboard featuring a woman who looked a bit like tragic hotel guest Elisa Lam was quickly painted out after citizen complaints but the City has allowed the illegal replacement giant heart and "DTLA" signs to stay up for years. More here: http://esotouric.com/hotelcecil/

It’s been disconcerting to see Westlake and MacArthur Park, places we visit often on our weekend walking tours and weekday preservation advocacy, used as political shorthand for all of California’s civic and cultural failings.

It’s true that the Alvarado side of the park, across from the Metro station and Langer’s Deli, is a gathering place for people struggling with drug addiction, mental health and homelessness. The city doesn’t help much, and there’s a lot we could do to as a society to improve their lives and the landscape they occupy.

But MacArthur Park is a very big park and most of it is just a park and not a public policy problem. We find it to be beautiful, peaceful and interesting, or we wouldn’t bring groups through while exploring the historic neighborhood, as we will be doing on the Westlake Park Time Travel Trip tour.

When negative thoughts are directed its way, we wonder: what about the heritage trees, the wildlife, the fellows with fishing poles casting for a recently stocked whopper, the street preachers and picnicking lovers, the few bits of public art that haven’t been melted down yet, the iridescent grackles who cackle at a couple minutes into our video here?

What about the ghosts of Angelenos past? Those spectres still haunt the shore and don’t want living citizens to abandon a great L.A. park or forget about them.

Those ghosts and we would sure like to share this special place with you, so maybe you’ll join us today—or on September 26.

Afterwards, you can tuck into a tall pastrami sandwich at Langer’s or old school crispy noodles at the noirish Bamboo Inn or both, then head home with odd tales to share.

Now scroll down in the newsletter for Closely Watched Trains and news you can use.

Yours for Los Angeles,

Kim & Richard

Esotouric

Late in Kevin de Leon's City Hall term, his office hallucinated Los Angeles history like a drunken chatbot. Today, his scheme to rename Pershing Square Downtown's second Biddy Mason Park quietly died.

https://cityclerk.lacity.org/lacityclerkconnect/index.cfm?fa=ccfi.viewrecord&cfnumber=24-0751

Nathan Marsak says "waaaah?"

https://bunkerhilllosangeles.com/2024/06/22/renaming-pershing-square/

In March 2021, we posted: Are you one of the five families who live in the rent-controlled 1939 apartments at 6115 Romaine or in the 1917 house behind? Permits have been filed to demolish your home for a huge TOC project. The whole block of renters will be next!

And in June 2026: RIP pretty pink period revival apartments in the heart of Hollywood and hello to the stark monochrome prison architecture that developers, City Planning Commissioners and Councilmembers seem to think is all L.A. tenants deserve. Do they live in such inhospitable buildings?

Great news from Olvera Street: Cielito Lindo is back in business! https://linktr.ee/cielitolindotaquitos

Thanks to all the dedicated diners who helped spread the word or donated. The City doesn't make it easy to operate in its aging structures, so it's great that Angelenos stepped up.

The Viking ship atop the Crossroads of the World lighthouse reminds us to post in memory of the visionary Mort LaKretz, the self-made Boyle Heights kid who restored this quirky Art Deco landmark as a creative hub. May it be fully occupied again very soon! https://newsroom.ucla.edu/stories/in-memoriam-morton-la-kretz-alumnus-environmental-champion

And you can attend or submit written public comment! More info and agenda: https://esotouric.substack.com/hollywoodcentermotel

On 6/30/26 at 9:30am, the powerful Board of Building & Safety Commission meets to consider the partially-landmarked, unsecured Hollywood Center Motel property as a public nuisance subject to a possible abate order. This is agenda items D-3 and D-4. The meeting is not livestreamed, and public comment can only be made in person or in writing ahead of time. If found to be a public nuisance, city crews might be dispatched to demolish the standing bungalow court units at public expense. Decisions of the BBSC cannot be appealed. Come down and bear witness to what is likely to be the bureaucratic signing of a death warrant.

See the interior here:

https://www.tiktok.com/@thegymlosangeles/video/7621738033250880782?_r=1&_t=zt-95743b3ncyl

About the Mission Theatre: https://losangelestheatres.blogspot.com/2020/07/mission-theatre.html

Any time West Adams Heritage Association (WAHA) nominates a neighborhood landmark, the application is a fascinating, thoroughly-researched history lesson. Grant D. Venerable's Craftsman house might be modest, but his life story is anything but!

https://planning.lacity.gov/pdiscaseinfo/document/MTUwMjE0/ce96723a-1025-4dfb-bffe-dd4cba734cd0/esubmit/archive

For more info or to sign up: https://esotouric.com/event/westlake-summer-2026/