Los Angeles Storybook: Volume I

Hey Peeps, 

So I just signed a lease to a new apartment, or duplex rather, in the East Hollywood area. The neighborhood isn't too pretty, but the house itself is a little oasis with a private yard and TWO parking spots... rare for Los Angeles. Anyway, on my drive back to my current residence in Faircrest Heights, I took a drive through Hancock Park, an architecturally rich neighborhood in LA sandwiched between Beverly Hills and Korea Town, then s'mored between Hollywood and Miracle Mile. After drooling over some picturesque vintage apartment buildings, I decided to pull over and take some pictures. 

North Sycamore Avenue, Hancock Park, Los Angeles

What struck me about this building was the tower that looked like... well, Rapunzel's tower. I don't even know the name of this type of tower that sticks out the side of a building. It's not a gable, battlement or parapet. It's more like a turkish minaret but not quite. If anyone knows, enlighten me!


*UPDATE* It's a turret! It was on the tip of my tongue. Thanks, dad, for reminding me. 

North Sycamore Avenue, Hancock Park, Los Angeles

Beautiful, eh? In my travels around LA, I see this type of architecture all the time especially in areas like Beverly Hills adjacent, Hancock Park, and Silverlake. I'm amazed at the fact that people actually used to build stuff like this (you know, with care and craftsmanship...) but then it seems that throughout the 70's and 80's hardly any craft was put into the building of housing establishments. I feel like this particular building is where Cinderella's stepsisters would have lived, or perhaps this is just the Beast's guesthouse. 

What's interesting is this: We're Los Angeles... we're relatively new. There are "fairy tale" buildings in Europe, Asia, the Middle East and elsewhere that practically could have inspired actual fairy tales or been around when they were written. In Los Angeles, we just have imitations... but I think that's part of what makes LA unique. We are the plaster and plywood fairy tale, or at lease we're striving to be. As for fairy tale fodder, there are more dreams here than could possibly ever come true. I digress...

Le Borghese Apartments, North Sycamore Avenue, Los Angeles

Here is another gem I found on North Sycamore Drive. It's an enclosed apartment building called "Le Borghese". I wish I had more pictures, but being enclosed, it was hard for me to snap a good one of the courtyard. Instead, I'll lead you to this post at iamnotastalker.com where there are many pictures and information about Charles Gault, the architect. 

Keep an eye out for Los Angeles Storybook: Volume II because I'll have a lot more pictures to post of enchanted storybook dwellings in Los Angeles. 

ciao.