The
detailing we've been talking about isn't just limited to dining areas or
the building exteriors - one shop (below) was very arty in its
presentation, but almost every retailer had some level of theme carried
through. I went back a few days later to the large Barnes & Nobel
store, and was delighted to find a spacious retail space inside with
outdoor balconies on a third level, where a cafe served light snacks and
coffees.
About half way down the
street, you'll find a winged sculpture (below), and you can begin to see
the newly relocated Farmer's Market clock and chimes tower in the
distance...
And to the side of the
sculpture you'll find a charming little Mediterranean-style area, Bow
Street...
I liked the details such
as the clock, ornamented walkways and lushly landscaped planters...
...but with all that they
didn't forget to put in web kiosks (below) - where you can find out what
is going on at the complex. They basically offer the same website which
you can also access online here. You'll find that one touch on the
screen (or on your own computer) brings up movie times and the ability
to buy tickets on the spot. Also free events held in the Grove's main
park area are listed.
At the far
end of the new development area across the way from the Farmer's
Market is an FAO Schwartz flagship toy store. Unfortunately it has one
of the noisiest mechanical signs ever (that gold thing below) - so they
blast out a tune in the area trying to mask the sound that rivals
"it's a small world" for sheer annoyance.
The picture below is the
view from above continued to the right - you're looking back at the
complex with the Farmer's Market behind you.
I won't bore you with
photos of the Farmer's Market itself - suffice to say it remains just as
full of "Price is Right" contestants, grizzly Dupar's
regulars, and is as ramshackle and mysterious as ever. (And it still
draws a stunning amount of tourists to loll around the fruit stands.)
The famous Gilmore Adobe on the property also remains open to visitors,
it's the oldest untouched Hollywood residence still in existence.
Despite the
remarkable theming, the development does have some serious problems
that should be taken into account if you're planning a visit. Weekends
and holidays are simply a zoo. It's the new place to go in town, and
stores are still opening as I type this. Dining is pricey - even if you
head over to the Farmer's Market to eat. Traffic approaching the
development, in particular from the west, is a serious nightmare.
(Weekday visits before lunch are highly
recommended for less stress.)
But for the out of town
visitor, the area offers the Farmer's Market, some unique boutiques and
the adjacent CBS Television City, where may vacationers find the never
ending TV tapings to still be of immense interest. (CBS maintains a
ticket office itself, show tickets are also available at the less hectic
Farmer's Market offices. Do note that you may end up waiting hours
before getting in, and may not be guaranteed seating. You should avoid
parking at the Farmer's Market / Grove if you are doing the TV thing, as
it can be expensive. CBS maintains a free audience lot, ask at their
gate about it.)
Nearby Beverly Avenue -
from Fairfax down to La Brea (as well as La Brea itself from Beverly
south to 3rd) - is a wonderful offbeat shopping area. It reminds me of
what Melrose Avenue used to be before the t-shirt vendors and roaming
teens took it all over.
So are any
of the three new developments "More Disney than
Disney?" Honestly, no, if the comparison is made to the original
Disneyland park itself. These new destinations are at heart retail
establishments, and two of them are specifically designed as shopping
centers.
But if the comparison is
made to two of Disney's newest ventures, the California Adventure park
in Anaheim (DCA), and the Disney Studios in Paris (DSP) ...well you'd
have a harder time saying the new complexes are any lesser efforts.
Disneyland is a unique
environment, developed by a master showman almost fifty years ago (and
until recently) upgraded and maintained as the premier theme park
showcase. The focus is still on dazzling attractions, produced in a
lavish Broadway style - which are not easily duplicated. Shopping and
dining compliment the experience, not overwhelm it. That may be the
reason that even in tough times (in particular since 9/11) the original
park continues to meet or exceed its attendance and revenue projections.
At California
Adventure, and Disney Studios Paris on the other hand the
attractions have decidedly taken a back seat. At DCA money saving
carnival rides leave visitors disappointed, at DSP the problem is not
only in the abandonment of rides, but the lack of any actual park
theming altogether. (It's plain to see in most cases they just slapped
up an inexpensive billboard in front of a building and called it a
facade.) Both parks seemed designed around retail and dining venues.
Neither really offers a convincing argument for an extra day's visit -
the problem especially becomes acute after an initial sojourn. They are
truly the vision of the shopkeeper who now runs the theme park division.
Compare all that of course
to the one park Disney designed - but doesn't really own, DisneySea in
Tokyo. With an outstanding mix of new attractions and detailed theming,
bookings and revenues are through the roof (in an awful Japanese economy
no less) while the other two new Disney parks discount or giveaway entry
to get bodies. Oriental Land Company (who financed DisneySea) understood
it takes money to make money and put equal focus on attractions and
commerce.
The three
developments featured in this series reach for something new,
opened within weeks of one another, and represent a whole new level of
design and showmanship in the L.A. Area, if not the country right now.
The people involved dreamed outside of the box, and produced something
that stands out and apart of similar projects in the region.
I would think an out of
town visitor would do well, for example, by combining a trip to
Universal Studios Hollywood (where, if lucky, an actual production can
be glimpsed) with a visit to the Hollywood and Highland complex or the
Grove at Farmer's Market - both of which offer richly detailed
environments, and other nearby sights of real and historical interest.
As I
mentioned at the beginning of this project, I always admired
Disneyland park over the years because I could see and do things there I
couldn't anywhere else. It's a shame that this no longer seems to be the
case with Disney's newest efforts - and that I now find the envelope
pushed elsewhere, such as in shopping centers and theater complexes.
Next time you're in
Hollywood, stop by sometime and take a look at these new additions to
the landscape. It will be a lot cheaper than visiting a theme park, and
you may find yourself, as I did, enjoying a level of detail and
attention to environment that used to be the hallmark of the happiest
place on earth.
Before I
close this series, I did want to share with you one reader note
about the Cinerama Dome story we ran last time. William Kallay
helps clarify what actually happened with the Dome's refurbishment:
Dear Al, For
most of the time I've been reading MousePlanet, I've agreed with most
of your comments on the rapid state of decline of Disneyland. You and
your staff have put together an excellent site. Your commentaries on
Disney's lack of commitment to its crown jewel have been right on the
mark.
But I want to
clear up some misconceptions that you wrote, as well as one of your
readers, about the Cinerama Dome. Comments like these further distort
the truth about what the "preservationists" were trying to
accomplish, in tandem, with Pacific Theaters.
If my memory
serves, Pacific did not want to demolish the Dome. They wanted to gut
the interior, add stadium seating (which it already had), put in a
flat ceiling and a flat screen. This would have made the Cinerama Dome
a large and generic "state-of-the-art" theatre. It would
have lost its identity as a real movie-lovers place for larger than
life films.
While
negotiations between preservationists, city counsel members and
Pacific were occurring, a television reporter asked Mr. Michael
Forman, during an interview on a morning show, why Pacific wanted to
tinker with the then-current configuration of the theatre. Forman, in
essence, replied, "Would you rather us demolish the Dome than
preserve it?" This is the same company that owned a large number
of drive-in theatres in California and a number of classic movie
palaces, which most are now closed or demolished. In fact, Pacific
wanted to initially "twin" the El Capitan before Disney came
in and said, "We have a better idea." The El Capitan is one
of the great theatres in the world and is very profitable for both
companies, I'm sure.
The
preservationists worked with Pacific for a long time to make the Dome
"correct" for "today's" audience and filmmakers.
These people are professionals in the movie business, which include
editor Doug Haines, who initiated the "Friends of Cinerama
Dome" campaign, and Dan Sherlock, who is a respected technical
consultant. Other preservationists included director Joe Dante and the
late Stanley Kramer.
It was
suggested that the projection booth be moved slightly lower, making
projection in the Dome more accurate on the giant curved screen.
Though the projecting movies on the Dome screen yielded distortion, it
wasn't, in my opinion, so bad that it detracted from my enjoyment of
big blockbusters like "Terminator 2," or classics like
"Apocalypse Now" or "2001." I have also found that
most seating in the Dome from the middle to the back of the floor
level, and the elevated stadium seats, the picture could look very
good. Most of the films I saw there were shown in 70mm, whether from
35mm negative or 65mm. I will say that 35mm films, regardless of
aspect ratio, didn't hold up very well on that big screen (as with
most oversized screens).
If Pacific did
what was suggested as a remedy for the distortion, the problem
wouldn't be a problem anymore. But, as many people found out before
the grand re-opening of the Dome and "ArcLight," Pacific did
not move the projection booth, for fear of losing too much seating.
They would've lost minimal seating, actually. They made up an excuse
that they were following the requests from preservationists to
maintain the theatre the way it was.
As for the
sound quality of the Dome, I have never found it to be bad or muddy. A
movie like "West Side Story," with its older analog magnetic
six track stereo soundtrack sounded wonderful at the Dome during a
reissue in 1989. Before the Dome closed down for refurbishment in July
of 2000, they ran "Terminator 2-Judgement Day" in 70mm. The
picture was solid, and the soundtrack was better than almost any
current sound presentation I've seen lately in the new stadium seat
theatres. That's a testament to the film and the theatre.
Alan Parker was
one of the rare directors that I've heard complaining about the Dome.
Most directors and DPs I've heard have loved the Dome. Please remember
that Parker did "Evita" for Disney, which has, for a number
of years, premiered many of their films there as a part of a
distribution agreement.
[Al wrote:] The
movie looked and sounded spectacular (even if it wasn't very good)
and Pacific was considering the reconfiguration as a permanent
change to the interior of the theater. Alas, unless another studio
decides to do what Disney did for this one booking, we'll continue
to be stuck with the less than optimal conditions the Dome now has.
[end quote]
We're
"stuck" with less than optimal conditions the Dome now has
because Pacific didn't adhere to any promises or agreements, etc.,
they made with preservationists. Essentially, they didn't correct
anything but the curtain color. They were more concerned with the
addition of the complex behind the Dome. You may have seen this not
only in person, but in newspaper ads which tout "ArcLight"
first, then the Dome second. To me, this is sad. The Dome can be an
excellent venue to see movies in, but Pacific decided not to improve
what was already great. To place blame on preservationists is
misplaced.
Sincerely,
William Kallay
Co-writer, "Presented in 70mm" - Widescreen Review Magazine
Thanks William, your note
helps explain a lot - and I know MousePlanet's readers appreciate you
taking the time to fill in the story.
In
closing - a big thank you to all who looked forward to each part
of this series, and all your kind notes about it. I know I'm pretty
lucky to have all these new places open up within a few minutes from
where I live. I'm glad I was able to share them with you, especially for
those who live far away.
Additional
information:
The
Farmer's Market has an
excellent website, which also has a
page focusing on entertainment and special events. You can also call
them at (323) 933-9211.
Thanks to some sharp-eyed
readers, we've found the
Grove's web site, In fact you can use that web page to order movie
tickets on line and then go to the electronic ticket booth outside of
the movie theater and pick them up there. Or you can use your WEB
enabled cell phone to order tickets: point your cell phone browser to www.TheGroveTheatres.com
- you will find this is much fast than waiting in line.
The Grove's Concierge
phone number is (323) 900-8080. They will be glad to assist you with any
questions you may have.
Operating hours for the
Farmer's Market have been extended (with much grumbling by the
businesses there) to better match the Grove - Monday through Friday
nights it will remain open until 9 PM, 8 PM on Saturdays and 7 PM on
Sundays.
Self parking at the
big garage in the complex is $1 for the first three hours, $1 for each
30 minutes after those three, with a maximum of $12. First hour is free
with any validation at any store, first two hours are free with
validation from selected stores including Nordstrom's. First four hours
are $1 with validation from the theaters.
Valet parking is available
in two areas, at the rear and front of the parking structure. It runs $5
for two hours, $2 for each 30 minutes thereafter, with a $17 maximum. To
expedite your exit, it is suggested you pay in advance at the parking
cashier near the entry of the structure.
Al Lutz may be e-mailed at
al@mouseplanet.com - Keep in
mind the volume of e-mail he receives may not allow for a personal
response.
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