Chattel wows crowd at California Preservation Foundation Conference

Chattel recently attended the 2011 California Preservation Conference in Santa Monica.  In addition to instructive education sessions and study tours, one of the highlights of the conference was 3 Minute Success Stories, a evening of skits and audience participation celebrating successes in historic preservation.  Chattel presented the relocation and rehabilitation of Phil's Diner, the oldest dining car in California, now located at 5230 Lankershim Boulevard in North Hollywood.  Constructed in 1920, the Diner operated continuously as a restaurant until 1997.


The Diner has been relocated several times during its long life and was accidentally damaged in 2009 during another relocation by crane.  Rehabilitation included structural retrofit and repair, as well as an addition to the Diner’s east elevation that contains a new kitchen, mechanical and electrical equipment, and restrooms with accessibility improvements.  With all of this work found to be in conformance with the Secretary’s Standards, Phil’s reopened for business on April 20, 2011.


This is an exciting preservation success, and one that deserves a rousing 3 Minute Success Story.  We started with the vision of a classic silent film, highlighting the drama and suspense of Phil's storied past.  Jenna created an excellent slide show, featuring the many moves of the Diner.  Shane, a talented musician, prepared an accordion piece as accompaniment.


With this wonderful presentation and musical entertainment, what more could we add to our success story? 

A pinata! 

To be exact, a meticulously constructed replica of Phil's Diner in pinata form, which we would use on stage to replicate the Diner's travels through Hollywood.  Robert carefully planned the six foot long pinata, using his drafting skills honed by years of experience.


Through extensive research, Jenna and a custom pinata craftsman named Juan Pablo made the dream of a Phil's Diner pinata come to life.  The arrival of the completed pinata was a much-anticipated event in the office.




Seriously, we were excited.



Aided by nearly half an hour of rehearsal, we were ready to perform in front of an eager audience at the Santa Monica Bay Women's Club.  At the reception before the performances, we soothed any lingering stage fright with a variety of excellent desserts.  Once on stage, our natural talents in interpretive dance and pinata wrangling took hold to create an excellent show.  Check out the video for yourself, because we'll be back for the 2012 conference in Oakland! 


Pinata Wranglers:
Robert Chattel, Sue O'Carroll, Kathryn McGee, and Marissa Moshier

Sign Stealer:
Shannon Ferguson

Accordionist:
Shane Swerdlow

Stage Manager, Set Designer, and Videographer:
Jenna Snow

Salk Institute Tour: Contemplating Concrete Construction in La Jolla

Combining Louis Kahn’s Salk Institute with a tour of Irving Gill designed buildings in La Jolla, Chattel studied how first and second generation Modernists expressed themselves through concrete construction.  

Joined by architectural historian and La Jolla resident Diane Kane, the first stop was the Salk Institute, designed by Louis Kahn and completed in 1965.
Iconic view of the courtyard.  Little did we know that the courtyard doesn't drop off into the ocean.
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Like so much of Kahn’s oeuvre, the buildings frankly express the board-form concrete in combination with teak and glass accents and travertine central courtyard.

Building off of lessons learned at the Richard’s Medical Research Laboratory (1957) on the University of Pennsylvania Campus, Kahn horizontally separated served and servant spaces at the Salk Institute. Interstitial servant spaces carry structural loads for the buildings, as well as mechanical equipment with breakout panels, allowing for ease of replacement.
Drawing of served and servant spaces.
Chattel staff pose for a group photo.
After a delicious lunch (from the La Jolla Cheese Shop), Diane presented a background of Irving Gill’s work in La Jolla and his collaboration with Ellen Browning Scripps and landscape architect Kate Sessions.  

Our tour of Gills' collaboration with Scripps included Scripps Institute of Oceanography (1908), Gill’s first work in monolithic concrete.

The La Jolla Woman's Club (1913) successfully used tilt-slap construction, while the front arcade has been stripped of applied decoration.

Ellen Scripps' home (1915) has been reused by the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, with an addition designed by Venturi Scott Brown.
Similar to the La Jolla Women's Club, the La Jolla Recreation center (1913) continues Gill's use of tilt-slab construction and exhibits his typical simplicity.

Visit to Chateau Elysee in Beachwood Canyon, Home of the Scientology Celebrity Centre

Chattel recently had the pleasure of the behind-the-scenes-tour of the stunning Chateau Elysee.  Nestled in the Beachwood Canyon neighborhood just north of Hollywood, the Chateau Elysee was constructed as a hotel-apartment c. 1927.  Designed by the firm of Arthur E. Harvey for Eleanor Ince, the widow of silent filmmaker Thomas Ince, and reflecting the development boom of Hollywood at that time, Chateau Elysee originally served as a long-stay hotel and apartment building frequently associated with celebrity visits.  It is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and as Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument no. 329.
Chateau Elysee
Chattel staff pose on Chateau roof
Detail of roof material, terra cotta tile glazed to look like weathered wood shingles
Threatened with demolition in the 1970s, the Chateau was purchased by the Church of Scientology and has since served purposes of the Church as the Scientology Celebrity Center.  It includes hotel facilities for traveling Scientologists, along with a restaurant, various meeting rooms and lushly landscaped grounds.  As part of the tour, Chattel learned details of the building's rehabilitation and ongoing restoration and maintenance work.

View of Chateau grounds showing restaurant at right
View of Chatueau grounds

View of Chateau grounds looking toward meeting center
Inside the Chateau: Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard's former study
Chattel staff enjoy a tour of select Chatueu hotel rooms
Following their tour of the Scientology Celebrity Centre, Chattel staff traveled a few blocks north to take in the nearby Hollywoodland development in Beachwood Canyon.  Created in tandem with the iconic "Hollywood" sign (originially reading "Hollywoodland"), the Hollywoodland development was originally designed in the 1920s as an eclectic grouping of period revival residences.
A view of the Hollywood sign from Beachwood Canyon

Chattel staff enjoy the unique architecture of the 1950s John Lautner-designed Beachwood Market in Beachwood Canyon

Historic Photo of Hollywoodland, looking north and showing original granite entrance gate (The Story of Hollywoodland, BL Press, 1992, cover)
 
Chattel staff pose in the original granite entrance gate to the Hollywoodland development

Exploring Yosemite National Park

The Chattel team took advantage of a sunny October weekend, embarking on a visit to Yosemite National Park. While taking in the park’s fresh air, breathtaking vistas, and unique architectural history, a variety of sites were toured.
The team had a behind-the-scenes tour of the park’s crown jewel: the Awahnee Hotel. The tour was lead by Gabrielle Harlan, a former Chattel employee. Currently working as a historical architect at Yosemite, Ms. Harlan has been intimately involved with recent rehabilitation work on the Awahnee. She took us on a fascinating journey through the hotel.

Built in 1927 and designed by Gilbert Stanley Underwood, the Awahnee was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1987. 

Kathryn, Jenna, Gabrielle, Sylvia and Shane on a tour of the Awahnee interior.

Gabrielle leads the Awahnee tour, providing interesting hotel history.

Awahnee dining room celing detail.

Fun Fact: The distinctive décor of the Awahnee interior inspired design of spaces in the fictional Overlook Hotel in Stanley Kubrick’s 1980 film adaptation of Stephen King’s novel, The Shining.
The Chattel team also visited and dined at Yosemite’s charming Victorian-style Wawona Hotel. 
The Wawona was constructed c. 1879; the hotel was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1987.
In addition to enjoying Yosemite's architectural heritage, the Chattel team took in the iconic views of Yosemite Valley.
Shane, Sylvia, Kathryn, Jenna and Robert pause to enjoy the scenery.
Kathryn, Shane and Jenna have a close encounter with nature.

On the road to Yosemite, a stop was made at a unique roadside trading post.  In some ways rivaling the excitement of the park itself, the trading post featured a petting zoo, funhouse and—yes!—cheese tastings.  Knowing the cheese would come in handy on the journey ahead, the Chattel travelers stocked up on a variety of these dairy delights.  A spicy pepper jack blend was the party favorite.
 
A view of the petting zoo chickens at the roadside trading post.

Chattel enjoys a Mele Kalikimaka at Bahooka Family Restaurant!

“Mele Kalikimaka is the thing to say on a bright Hawaiian Christmas day.” On an unusually cold, rainy winter day in LA, the Chattel team embraced the theme of this 1949 Robert Alex Anderson tune by celebrating the season at Bahooka Family Restaurant in Rosemead, California.

Opened in 1967 as Bahooka Ribs and Grog, the restaurant features a blend of nautical and Tiki décor, with over 100 aquariums contributing to the tropical ambiance. Our exotic Tiki experience was enhanced as we enjoyed Polynesian-inspired food and tropical drinks like the Blue Hawaii and Gung Ho (a flaming drink served in a bowl).

Tiki architecture gained popularity during the 1930s with the opening of such Polynesian-themed restaurants as Don the Beachcomber in Hollywood and Trader Vic’s in Oakland. Defining elements of this style include the use of carved beams, lava rock, and steep peaked roofs. Passage of the Hawaii Admission Act, which established the State of Hawaii in 1959, and increased affordability of Hawaii as a vacation destination after World War II further contributed to popularity of Polynesian design.

As many Polynesian-themed restaurants have closed or been significantly altered, we’re excited that such a prominent example of Tiki architecture still exists, and we would like to say ‘mahalo’ to Bahooka for turning a rainy afternoon into a bright Hawaiian December day. 

Bahooka entrance

Sylvia opens the door to a Polynesian experience

Jen, Kathryn, and Jenna have a tough time deciding which drink to order

Flaming drinks like the Gung Ho are perfect to share

More of the Gung Ho

Robert's Ko Ko Nut offers a delicious blend of pineapple, coconut, and almond flavors

Shane enjoys a classic Blue Hawaii 

Interior view