terra non firma

ny notes on LA

I typically look forward to thursdays for the nytimes and the latimes home and garden section (ok, just the home stuff, I still have no interest in gardening - maybe when I one day have, um, a garden). so today's latimes home section is just abysmal - not a single article worth noting or linking to. but today's nytimes has a couple of gems:

• a few weeks ago I linked to a nytimes article on the sale of a historic paul williams home that was sold for $1, but required $3 million to relocate and restore the home. today's times looks at the overall trend of selling architecturally signifcant homes for a buck (or less) to anyone who wants to move and preserve the structure. one of the houses saved this way? a 1939 neutra in los altos donated to the city after no one wanted to shoulder the cost of relocation.
• ok, maybe this is cheating since its an obit and not part of the home section, but the nytimes looks at the life and career of frank wilkinson, the LA housing official jailed in the 50s for refusing to testify before the house un-american activities committe about his political beliefs. why was he the focus of an investigation? his role in clearing out chavez ravine to make way for public housing. and we all know how that turned out.
• plus, this wallpaper rocks.

posted by marissa @ 9:31 AM