The Los Angeles Conservancy is one of the premiere groups who work to keep Los Angeles of today infused with the architectural wonder that was Los Angeles of years gone by. Every year, they hand out awards for the work of preservationists and their projects, and have just announced the nine 2011 winners of the highly-sought honor that recognizes outstanding achievement in the field of historic preservation. The awards will be presented at a luncheon on Thursday, May 12, 2011. more ›

Despite efforts from residents and preservation activists, last week the County Board of Supervisors approved a plan to convert the historic Golden Gate Theater in East Los Angeles into a 24-hour CVS drugstore, according to the LA Wave. more ›

Honoring the work done to preserve Los Angeles' landmarks and architectural treasures, the Los Angeles Conservancy revealed yesterday the projects and places that are recipients of their 29th annual Preservation Awards. Earning the President's Award is the resurrected Bob's Big Boy Broiler in Downey, which returned on the site of the late Johnie's Broiler thanks to the hard work of community activists, the City of Downey, and a Bob's Big Boy Franchisee who built the new restaurant using old designs. more ›

The Los Angeles Conservancy has just launched a "Neighborhoods" section of their website that integrates information about historic districts in LA County with a Google map. "With nearly 100 locally designated historic neighborhoods in sixteen cities across the county, these districts represent a range of architectural styles and are an important part of the historic fabric of Greater Los Angeles," explains a press release about the endeavor. more ›

Seth Tinkham is a correspondent for the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and he's taken a JetBlue 30-day All-You-Can-Jet Pass and a laptop on the road--or to the skies, rather--on a tour dubbed the JetModern, aimed at spotlighting modernist design treasures in major US cities. His trip concludes next week here in Los Angeles, where he will visit buildings that exemplify the modernist style that are in need of some preservationist attention. more ›

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As revitalization takes place throughout LA's downtown area, many are seeking to extend the developments and improvements to the Broadway area, which is home to many majestic and historic theaters, once the crown jewels of our city's movie palaces. "Among the most prized treasures of the area are Broadway's twelve historic movie palaces, which in their heyday evoked - and often surpassed - the magic of stage and screen," explains Historic Downtown LA. more ›

It's the end of another year and LA has lost yet another handful of important buildings. LA Weekly has the goods on the "big ones" that were lost this year including the Ambassador Hotel and Cocoanut Grove, Trader Vic's, Johnie's Broiler, Mann National Theatre and our personal vote for deepest loss of the year, Tail o' the Pup. more ›

Did you know today is the 226th birthday of El Pueblo de Nuestra Senora La Reina de Los Angeles -- aka L.A.? The old bitch is looking pretty good for her age! Although the city did not incorporate until 1850, September 4th, 1781 is the date that 44 Mexican pobladores set out from San Gabriel with a military escort to settle alongside a great river -- then called the Rio de Porciuncula, later to... more ›

How does the idea of hilltop vistas, the quiet charm of tree-lined streets, and a quick and easy one mile trip on public transit to Downtown grab you? Well, it certainly proved an effective lure for the fresh-off-the-train Midwesterners settling in Los Angeles who flocked to our city's first suburb in the late 1880s. A real estate boom in 1887 saw the construction of numerous majestic Victorian homes in the new neighborhood, but a... more ›

There is just something about seeing old black and white films on the big screen that gets our motor ticking. Put them in old theaters and you have a winning combination. This year's series of the LA Conservancy's, Last Remaining Seats, has been a hit and selling out. There are two nights left. Tonight you can make your way over to the John Anson Ford Ampitheater to see La Balandra Isabel llegó esta tarde,... more ›

In the swashbuckling 1940 Zorro movie, called The Mark of Zorro, the handsome Tyrone Power plays the hero; he was so impressive, even the actor playing his nemesis swooned. Basil Rathbone said, "Power was the most agile man with a sword I’ve ever faced before a camera. Tyrone could have fenced Errol Flynn into a cocked hat." We've never seen Power's Zorro, and now we think we really should. On the big screen. more ›

This is what the papparazzi look like (bored, packing up) when you walk down the red carpet after the big celeb of the evening. In this case that was Diane Keaton, and the event was Thursday night's Ambassador Wake at The Bounty. more ›

January 18, 1921: The Ambassador Hotel opens with a ball, with LA's top society figures and Hollywood elite dancing at the Cocoanut Grove. more ›

As the Ambassador Hotel has been ignominiously knocked down, we've been following its last days on Ambassador's Last Stand. Well, it's over, kids. Yesterday, as we were overtaken by Golden Globe Fever, ALS announced that the rest of the hotel was gone. Only the Cocoanut Grove remains: the LAUSD has plans for it — it's going to be an atrium or a library. (We can't find the current plan online, but we admit, our hearts aren't in it.) more ›

Earlier this week when we were hurting from the evils of drink, we got this advice over and over: exercise. Realizing you may have had a bit of liquor last night -- and keeping in mind that weather may soon make this impossible -- we suggest a series of walking/hiking resources. Because the air might do you good. more ›

Like many Angelenos, Karie Bible came to Los Angeles to follow her passion for movies and filmmaking. She did the Hollywood thing, working as an assistant in various studios and agencies, but was disappointed to find so many people in the Industry who did not share her love and passion for film history. more ›

Both despite and because of many intense past, current and future battles to retain it, Angelenos are increasingly aware of our city’s architectural heritage. This category ranges from the missions to faux Norman castles to austere minimalist spaces. We’re presently living a renaissance era for modernism – a critical mass is more than ever enthralled with the work of largely émigré architects for whom Los Angeles was an ideal environment in which to experiment with built forms and new materials, blissfully free of historic precedent. more ›

You may have heard that the owners of the Los Feliz haunt The Derby are hoping to sell the place. Instead of an icon of the swing dance world, instead of a cheapish but not unpleasant Louise's Trattoria, instead of a nice one-story restaurant with parking, the lot at the corner of Hillhurst and Los Feliz would house 88 condos piled into a claustrophobic 5-story monstrosity. Built in 1928, The Derby didn't become an offshoot of the original Wilshire Blvd Derby until 1940, when its domed roof was perfected. In 1996, it starred in the movie Swingers with Vince Vaughn and Jon Favreau. Now local activists, who have the support of the LA Conservancy's Modern Committee, have launched SavetheDerby.com to focus efforts to halt the demolition and development plans. Save the Derby is also on MySpace — like so many other 77-year-olds with style. more ›

While we are madly in love with LA, we do have a little crush on New York. So when this week’s copy of the New Yorker arrived, we were thrilled to find a piece by Dana Goodyear on LA’s own Ambassador Hotel and one of its pioneering architects, Paul R.Williams. The hotel, which closed in 1989, has been the subject of a massive financial, cultural and ethical tug-of-war between the LAUSD, who own the land and plan to raze it to build a school, and a number of preservationists, most notably LA Conservancy, who want to have the historic site saved and restored. more ›