UHP 401 LA

Jacquelinne Stephanie

[jacquelinnemejia]

Laguna Beach House

Today at 10am I read in the Los Angeles Times about a renovation that is taking place at the Laguna Beach house which is located at 475 N Pacific Coast Highway. This reminded me of the Surfurbia that Reyner Banham was talking about. Some of the peculiar artifacts in this hotel are surfboards that are  mounted over the hotel  beds as a decoration. Furthermore, this place for surfboarders and people who like the outdoor style costed 1.5 million dollars to renovate. Moreover, surf reports are written in a chalkboard at the lobby. I feel that this Beach house envelops their guests in the California surf tradition and encourages fun in the sun.This article reminded me of the architecture of the beach houses where you didn’t know where the outdoors of the house ended and the indoor began. A passage from Reyner Banham says that the surfboards ” leaning on the sea-wall or stuck in the sand like plastic megaliths, they concentrate practically to create stylish decorative imagery”.I agree that this beach house is using this method to attract tourists. Another part of the hotel that is uing American products are the towel racks at the hotel. Skateboards are used as towel racks and they are customed made by Gordon and Smith who are surf makers. I enjoy skateboarding and longboarding and I think that it would be interesting to see this boards used for another purpose than to ride on a skatepark. If a person wants to stay a night at this fabulous hotel you would have to pay one hundred and ninety seven dollars per night.

[ryarbrough93-blog-blog]

Yesterday I was in Seal Beach to have lunch with some friends. As we were walking back to the car I couldn’t help but be struck by the image presented down this street. The street is line with dozens of Palm trees. Literally two layers of palm trees nearly superimposed, the first layer just over your head and the next layer soaring to the sky. Every time I see palm trees now I think of this class. To add to that the Seal Beach City Administration building on the street is very classic Spanish architecture. White washed adobe walls, complete with flatish red tile roof. Looking even further down the street you can just barely see the beach. When I looked ever and noticed this it was as if this picture could have been a flyer for the portrayal of California to the rest of the country. It is even more telling that the Spanish looking building is for City administration.

The other thing that is intriguing is the sheer number of cars. The high number of cars per capita is a uniquely LA thing. We have shot down proper public transportation so many times in LA. This may be one of the contributing factors to how sprawling the LA area truly is.

[jacquelinnemejia]

Awesome post. I have noticed that palm trees are in many places. When I used to live in West L.A lines of palm trees where by my street even though we were not close to the beach. Now we know that these trees were planted to give Southern California what people wanted to see. -Jacquelinne S. Mejia Sandoval

[willmetscherlastory-blog]

Hollywood Sign

The Hollywood sign is one of the most famous billboards that the world has ever known. It has been featured in many different films, and is the foremost symbols associated with Hollywood. I recently got to hike the trail with some friends from our class, and had such a blast! As soon as we arrived to the trail we saw many tourists and people taking all sorts of pictures and video. The hiking trail is definitely well traveled and a nice escape into nature from the hustle and bustle of everyday city life. We were able to hike almost to the top to get a panoramic view of Los Angeles! Unfortunately it was a very hot day, and with no cloud cover we started sweat. When you’ve lived in Los Angeles your entire life you forget that under the city there is nature! It was nice to see the natural side of the city and hear the local wildlife. This made the city of Los Angeles feel more natural and less concrete. The natural side of Los Angeles is more of a desert than were led to believe. The local plants are very hearty to withstand all types of shortages of water. When looking at old Los Angeles it was amazing to see how many open fields or parcels of land there was before development. This was a very fun way to spend the day with good friends and get an awe inspiring view of the city scape. I highly recommend this day trip for any L.A. or hiking enthusiast! :)

[engelkesarah-blog-blog]

I have to say I have never been to the sign! I have only ever talked about it, but I really want to go soon! Anybody interested in going soon sometime?

[jacquelinnemejia]

Great post. I have been close to the Hollywood sign by Griffith Park. I agree that there are many plants even though it doesn't rain that much in Los Angeles. -Jacquelinne S. Mejia Sandoval

[philips-la-encounters]

Last Sunday, in an effort to get musically inspired, my mother and I attended an organ concert/recital at the Segerstrom Concert Hall in Costa Mesa. This was quite a new experience for me as I had seen several plays and shows prior in the main Segerstrom Center for the Performing Arts, but never in the adjacent building known as the “Concert Hall” which houses the magnificent organ. Upon entering the venue I couldn’t help but be taken aback by the sheer size of this instrument which was built upon the front inner façade of the hall. This organ was literally massive from floor to ceiling, and that small space you see on the lower right is where the organist would control this behemoth with just the touch of his fingers and feet. The artist performing in this concert was a musician named Hector Olivera who was a native Argentinian from the city of Buenos Aires. In 1965 he had been given a scholarship to study organ from the Julliard School of Music in New York and has since been touring the world performing on this magnificent instrument. The concert was filled with scores from great composers such as Mozart and Bach which really gave one the feeling of the organ’s extremely versatile nature. Mr. Olivera was a gentleman to say the least, as he bowed proudly after each song modestly giving thanks to the crowd of listeners down below.

After the concert I decided to learn as bit about the Segerstrom Family who I knew were a prominent family similar to the Irvine’s in Orange County. As it turns out, the Segerstroms were a pioneering family from Sweden who had originally built their empire through the agricultural business. Strangely enough their cash crop was lima beans! Later the family focused on retail development and ended up creating what is now known as the great South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa. This mall does over $1 billion dollars in sales annually! The Segerstroms ended up creating several charitable foundations, one of which built the Segerstrom Center for the Performing Arts. It’s amazing to see a family who literally created the foundation for what we know now as Southern California is still making an impact in every which way.

[jacquelinnemejia]

I have never heard an organ musician play, but it sounds that you enjoyed it very much. Last semester I took a film and music class and learned that people who play the organ have to be really skilled and the way the organ is made is intricate. I find it inspiring that a family that produced lima beans switched to retail and made it in Southern California. Great post.- Jacquelinne S. Mejia Sandoval

[jacquelinnemejia]

Korean Bell of Friendship

I went to the Korean Bell of Friendship at Angel’s Gate Park in San Pedro today at 5:30pm. It used to be part of the reservation of Fort MacArthur. I saw teenagers playing basketball at the basketball courts with the scenic views. Moreover, people were walking around the park in San Pedro, CA. The Republic of Korea gave the U.S. this bell. It was dedicated in 1976 for the bicentennial of the U.S. It was meant to signify friendship between this two countries. The bell is made of copper and tin, I think that it looks pretty. What I thought was interesting is that the bell is rang using a log. I had a lot of fun walking and talking about how we don’t really go to the beach, but we live next to one. Furthermore, I saw a tiny lady bug relaxing on a piece of grass and I tried to touch it and it flew away. My wife laughed thinking it was amusing. I had seen the Korean Bell of Friendship before on one of my trips with Wendy to the beach. What struck me funny is that there was an older lady that was taking so many pictures with the bell on the background (selfies). I wondered if she really knows the history of this bell. As for me, I took some pictures, but not as many. It was so breezy and full of sunshine. I enjoyed walking at the park where I think that it can give a poet some inspiration.

I’m happy because tomorrow will be my 21st birthday.

[ryarbrough93-blog-blog]

I went to a restaurant, McCormick and Smick’s, near Disneyland for Valentine’s Day. Not surprisingly I saw almost all couples. Two things I considered though were the wide variety of dress and the importance we place on Valentine’s Day. Considering that I was at a rather upscale restaurant I was...

[jacquelinnemejia]

Great post. I think that valentine’s day is a tradition, but I do think that it is true that it is very commercialized. Jacquelinne S. Mejia Sandoval

[princessaliicia-deactivated2015]

3/11/15

My major, which is Hospitality Management, requires a lot of hands on projects. I am currently taking a facilities management class which focuses on the maintenance and contracting aspect of the hotel. As apart of our class project we are suppose to interview a Chief Engineer at a full service hotel. Me and my three other group mates chose to go to on of our group mates jobs. She works as a Rooms Service Server at the Montage in Laguna Beach. She is very close with everyone so the Chief Engineer, Ken, was happy to give us a tour and information. 

If you don’t know about the Montage, it is a five star high class Hotel right on the coast of Laguna Beach. Rooms range from $600 - $5000 a night depending on the room. Multiple celebrities stay here including Jennifer Aniston and John Stamos (celebrities my friend has seen while working). There are three restaurants, a pool, spa, gym and a private beach. 

There are about 18 staff on the maintenance department running from electricians, to refrigeration. I was really impressed with how organized their department is and how appreciated they are at their hotel. I think that the maintenance department is under rated because it doesn’t look like a glamourous job. But they are one of the reasons the hotel can stay running smoothly. Even though it is extremely expensive, this hotel markets great advertising for Laguna Beach and also Southern California. I will never ever have the money to stay here, but the beach in front of it is public so I can always pretend……..

[sophinsocal]

My family and I go for walks there during the holidays! It’s really pretty, and we’ve seen bunnies hop across the lawn. I also fantasize about dining and staying there, hehehe. It’s cool that you got a tour!

[jacquelinnemejia]

This sounds like a very awesome experience. I had never heard of the hotel, but Ive been to another hotel that has a public beach in the city of Santa Cruz, the views are scenic. Jacquelinne S. Mejia Sandoval

[jonslablog]

A couple of days ago I was driving down the 605 as I listened to KFI AM 640. It’s actually been a while since I’ve listened to the radio—let alone talk radio—but it’s interesting to note how much insight one can gain from simply tuning in at the right time.

It was around two or three in the...

[jacquelinnemejia]

Great post. The LA water system needs to pay attention that the system of water is working to prevent contamination and because we are in a drought. -Jacquelinne S. Mejia Sandoval

[jacquelinnemejia]

San Pedro, Sunken City

This past week on Thursday at 2pm I went to the city of San Pedro with my wife Wendy. It was my first time going to the city to explore. We drove by the Vincent Thomas Bridge and then we drove to a fish restaurant that had fish and chips and delicious coleslaw. Since I like heights and the terrain was so hilly it was an awesome experience. I noticed the various boats on the harbor and the factories working and smog accumulating in the atmosphere. Moreover, at the restaurant I had a view of the various yachts and they were named, "Independence, Freedom, The Great Escape." I felt that this all came together with the class because as you move around Los Angeles there are very different experiences that you may have. The vast expanse of the ocean made me feel that there are even more possibilities into the parts of the world that would otherwise could not be explored without a boat. Many Europeans migrated to San Pedro and the Italian population is very large. The Vincent Thomas Bridge was named after an assemblyman. I enjoyed walking through Sunken City.The ocean seemed immense from that altitude. I saw graffiti on the side of the cliff that was of very bright colors. My wife told me that usually people do not walk down the steep decline because it looks dangerous. I did not walk down to the high tide but I felt happy for the shinning sun and the panoramic view. I had a fun time with my wife exploring the city.

[jacquelinnemejia]

[jacquelinnemejia]

Today I went to Cabe Toyota with my other half to get our car checked. We arrived at the dealership and we were met with very good customer service and very quiet. I looked around inside the dealership and saw transactions of cars going on. I looked around the shop and I saw that they had many shirts with the brand of the car, oil, and watches among other things. Cabe Toyota was very simple in structure and only used earth tones. I noticed that the people that worked in the counter and greeted you were Japanese.While were payments were made there were Hispanics. I thought it was great that so many people of different places worked together in one place and give good customer care. The sun was shinning very brightly and it seemed of a desert. I experienced what being a car driver in California feels like. Oh and my wife, Wendy liked the fan in the picture very much.

[carmenolli-blog-blog]

Sunday February 1st, 2015

Over the weekend I had a ton of homework to do. School had just started a week prior and I was already swamped with assignments! My boyfriend and I had planned to see each other that day so he suggested that we go to the library, that way we could be together and I can...

[jacquelinnemejia]

I enjoyed the post and I can relate to the feeling that you had when you first saw the art on the ceiling of the second floor library. I used to go with my mom when I was in junior high school and borrow books from the library. Due to this, I have seen many tours of people from different countries to come and see the architecture and art that the Los Angeles Public Library has to offer. -Jacquelinne S. Mejia Sandoval

[rachelgrano-blog]

On Saturday, February 7th, I went to the Hotel del Coronado to relax at the beach and enjoy the beauty of the hotel. The Hotel Del is located in the city of Coronado and the county of San Diego. I arrived to the island of Coronado a little after 1PM. After arriving, I went to the Hotel Del. The...

[jacquelinnemejia]

I enjoyed the photographs that you took of the Hotel del Coronado. I liked the description that you gave of your time there, I can picture how a tourist would feel going to this beautiful place right at the beach. I recall that one of our classmates mentioned how tourists must feel seeing the beach for the first time.

-Jacquelinne S. Mejia Sandoval

[jsherman32-blog-blog]

February 1st, 2015: “Let’s go, we have quite a ways to walk!” Exclaimed my friend, Jake Holzschuh, as we were on our way out of his apartment to go walk to his buddies house to watch the Super Bowl, featuring the Seattle Seahawks versus the New England Patriots. My friend Jake lives in Fullerton,...

[jacquelinnemejia]

I enjoyed reading about how the conquistadors might have thought that the Fullerton Arboretum was beauty. I did not know that there was an Arboretum at Fullerton; I will try to visit. -Jacquelinne S. Mejia Sandoval

[ryarbrough93-blog-blog]

I regularly volunteer at a school in Bellflower. This is the school that my mother works at. Bellflower is close to my mother’s heart because she grew up there and went kindergarten through her senior year of high school in Bellflower schools. My grandfather (who passed before I was born) was the…

[jacquelinnemejia]

The area of Bellflower having so many churches sounds to me that many different religions are being practiced in the same place. This reminds me of McWilliams saying that there are so many different faiths and cults in Southern California.  -Jacquelinne S. Mejia Sandoval

[mmqcheng-blog-blog]

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[jacquelinnemejia]

Great post. I enjoyed the insight that you gave about what the mission is doing now to attract visitors. The picture of the mission looks very elegant. -Jacquelinne S. Mejia Sandoval

[ryarbrough93-blog-blog]

I regularly volunteer at a school in Bellflower. This is the school that my mother works at. Bellflower is close to my mother’s heart because she grew up there and went kindergarten through her senior year of high school in Bellflower schools. My grandfather (who passed before I was born) was the...

[jacquelinnemejia]

The area of Bellflower having so many churches sounds to me that many different religions are being practiced in the same place. This reminds me of McWilliams saying that there are so many different faiths and cults in Southern California.